Orchard Towers murder: 2 women being investigated for alleging preferential sentencing

Ng Mui Lan, 56, pleaded guilty to one charge of operating a massage parlour without a licence issued under the Massage Establishments Act. (PHOTO: Google Street View screengrab)
(PHOTO: Google Street View screengrab)

SINGAPORE — Two women, aged 28 and 36, are being investigated by the police for alleging on social media that the individuals involved in a fatal incident at Orchard Towers received preferential treatment in sentencing because of their race.

The police said in a statement on Monday (2 November) night that they have acted on two authorisation orders from the Attorney-General Chambers (AGC) to initiate investigations into the women for contempt of court by making such allegations in their social media posts.

Investigations are ongoing.

The AGC had on 16 October refuted the allegations in the social media posts and said that it directed the police to investigate them.

“Allegations of preferential treatment for different races are baseless and have the potential to disrupt racial harmony in Singapore, causing irreversible divisions in our communities,” the AGC had then said.

Of the seven people initially charged with the murder of Satheesh Noel Gobidass, 31, at Orchard Towers on 2 July last year, six have had their charges reduced.

The AGC said that the six individuals had their charges reduced because they were found “not to be involved in causing the death of the deceased”.

One of the six, Chan Jiaxing, 27, was given a conditional warning for the charge of consorting with a co-accused.

Three others – Joel Tan Yun Sheng, Ang Da Yuan and Natalie Siow Yu Zhen – pleaded guilty and were given imprisonment sentences ranging from four weeks to eight months. The remaining two – Tan Hong Sheng and Loo Boon Chong – have yet to be dealt with.

The only man still facing the murder charge, Tan Sen Yang, has not been dealt with.

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