SINGAPORE: A 50-year-old man has been charged with the murder of a 41-year-old man, who was found unconscious at a Housing and Development Board (HDB) void deck in Clementi on Monday.
According to CNA, the accused, Toh Chee Hong, appeared via video link in district court on 23 October, dressed in a red polo shirt and sporting dishevelled hair. If convicted, he faces the death penalty.
Following a request from the prosecution, Toh will be remanded for one week, with permission to be taken out for investigations, referred to as “scene revisitation,” in order to recover additional evidence.
Toh, who understood the court proceedings in English, requested that the prosecution’s request be repeated before responding with “okay.”
The incident occurred around 5 p.m. on Monday at Block 311B Clementi Avenue 4, prompting alerts to the police and the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF).
Toh was detained at the scene and subsequently arrested, while the 41-year-old victim was taken to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital, where he later died.
Preliminary investigations by the police revealed that both individuals were known to each other.
PA: Alleged suspect is not a member of any PA grassroots organisation
Earlier, Chinese daily Lianhe Zaobao reported that the two men were involved in grassroots activities of the Trivelis Residents’ Network, which serves the Trivelis estate in Clementi Avenue 4.
The victim, identified by The Straits Times as Mr Winson Khoo, was recognised as a grassroots volunteer by the People’s Association (PA), which expressed sadness over his death.
The PA announced that Mr Khoo’s wake would begin on 23 October and urged the public not to share graphic footage or images of the incident.
While initial reports suggested that Toh was also involved in grassroots activities within the same network, the PA clarified that this was inaccurate.
“We would have preferred to clarify this only after the police have formally charged the suspect and released his identity,” it stated.
“But to prevent the public from being further misled by this inaccuracy, we have decided to clarify the matter quickly.”
According to Zaobao, some residents indicated that the two had a history of disputes, with the suspect being known for frequent arguments.
On the afternoon of 21 October, shouts and screams shattered the peace of the estate as the suspect allegedly attacked the victim.
Residents reported witnessing the incident, which unfolded at the pick-up point between blocks 311B and 311C, directly in front of the Trivelis Residents’ Network office.
The victim had tripped near a drain about 20 metres away from the office when he was reportedly attacked by the suspect.
A woman, believed to be Mr Khoo’s wife, screamed during the assault as he lay on the ground. Witnesses stated that the attacker later turned his attention to the woman, chasing her as she fled in terror.
The woman sought refuge in a pre-school located at Block 311C. After the attack, the suspect walked to his black car at the pick-up point and drove into the multi-storey carpark, where he allegedly reversed repeatedly into another vehicle.
He was apprehended by the police as he was attempting to exit the carpark.
