SINGAPORE: A man was sentenced to five years' jail on Friday (Jan 8) for his part in the murder of a material analyst, whose body was found near a military training area in Lim Chu Kang two years ago.
Chua Leong Aik, 66, pleaded guilty to plotting with Chia Kee Chen to abduct Mr Dexmon Chua, with the intention of causing grievous hurt to him, after Chia found out his wife was having an affair with the victim. They are said to have acted with Indonesian national Djatmiko Febri Irwansyah.
AFFAIR SPARKED REVENGE PLOT
According to court documents, Chia found out about the affair between his wife and the victim in 2012. Although the pair ended the affair soon after, Chia allegedly continued to harass the victim with threatening phone calls and messages, and stalking him on several occasions.
In December 2013, Chia contacted Febri, who was helping him to run a fish farm in Tanjung Pinang, and asked for his help to kill someone in Singapore as revenge for raping his wife. If the plot was successful, Chia promised that he would set up a fish culturing business for Febri.
Chia also contacted Chua Leong Aik, whom he knew for more than 20 years, to help in the abduction.
On Dec 28, 2013, the trio carried out their planned attack at a multi-storey car park in Choa Chu Kang Avenue 4. Chua helped to block the victim’s way, forced him into the back of a van with the other two men, and drove the van towards Lim Chu Kang. While driving, he heard the other two beating up the victim, and “smelled the scent of blood” in the van.
After some time passed, Chua told Chia he “could not take it anymore”, and alighted from the van to take a bus back home. At that point, he saw that the victim’s legs were still moving slightly.
The victim’s body was found several days later on Jan 1, 2014 at a military training area near Sungei Gedong Camp, with his hands bound and his T-shirt pulled up to his neck.
Chia has been charged with murder while Febri is still at large.
NOT THE INSTIGATOR, BUT DID NOTHING TO STOP THE ASSAULT: JUDGE
In sentencing Chua, Justice Kan Ting Chiu said that while he was not the instigator, he did nothing to stop the assault, did not confess to his part in the attack and showed no sign of remorse.
He sentenced Chua to five years' jail for voluntarily causing grievous hurt and one year's jail for abduction, to be served concurrently and backdated to Jan 8, 2014 when he was remanded.
Chua had faced a maximum sentence of 15 years' imprisonment with a fine and caning for voluntarily causing grievous hurt, and seven years' imprisonment, a fine and caning for abduction.