SINGAPORE: The seven people charged over the murder of a 31-year-old man at Orchard Towers last Tuesday (Jul 2) returned to court on Thursday (Jul 11), with three of them now facing downgraded charges.
Tan Hong Sheng, 22, Chan Jia Xing, 26, and 25-year-old Loo Boon Chong had their murder charges withdrawn.
AdvertisementAdvertisementThe charges were replaced with a charge each of carrying offensive weapons in public places, read together with a charge of consorting with a person with an offensive weapon.
Loo is represented by lawyers Diana Ngiam and Sujesh Anandan from Quahe Woo & Palmer, while lawyers Josephus Tan, Cory Wong and Shane Yeo are defending Tan and Chan, taking over representation of the latter from lawyer John Koh.
The three men had been charged along with three other men and one woman for the murder of Mr Satheesh Noel Gobidass at Orchard Towers on Jul 2.
The other four suspects are: Tan Sen Yang, 27, Ang Da Yuan, 26, Joel Tan Yun Sheng, 26, and Natalie Siow Yu Zhen, 22.
AdvertisementAdvertisementSiow is represented by lawyers Cheryl Ng from Intelleigen Legal and Amarick Gill, while Joel Tan is also being represented by lawyers from Invictus Law Corporation, led by defence counsel Josephus Tan.
Other than those who had their charges replaced with lesser ones, the suspects are accused of murder with common intention. They allegedly formed an unlawful assembly with the common goal of hurting Mr Satheesh, and caused his death at the entrance of Orchard Towers at about 6.30am on Jul 2.
Police officers responded to a call for help that morning and found the victim motionless at the scene. He was taken to hospital and pronounced dead.
Closed-circuit television footage obtained by 8world News showed a man walking slowly in front of an escalator before collapsing, prompting onlookers to rush forward to check on him.
District Judge Terence Tay ordered that those who had their murder charges withdrawn could not contact their co-accused, accomplices nor any of the prosecution's witnesses.
They were also offered bail of S$25,000.
The prosecution successfully applied for Tan Sen Yang to be remanded as he is believed to be involved in other offences, while Joel Tan and Ang Dayuan were ordered to be remanded at Changi Medical Complex for psychiatric assessment.
The judge ordered Siow to be remanded at Changi Women's Prison for three weeks for psychiatric assessment.
If convicted, the suspects charged with murder with common intention could face the death penalty.
The penalty for carrying offensive weapons in public places is a maximum of three years' jail and at least six strokes of the cane.
Let's block ads! (Why?)
More...