Accused in Yishun triple murder case 'not of an unsound mind': psychiatrist
Despite having a psychiatric disorder, the man accused of killing his lover and two other women in Singapore had some self-control when he committed the act, a psychiatrist said before a court on Wednesday.
Wang Zhijian was "not of an unsound mind" when he stabbed his lover Zhang Meng and her daughter Feng at least 40 times, according to various media reports quoting Dr Kenneth Koh, consultant psychiatrist at the Institute of Mental Health who testified for the prosecution.
Wang is accused of killing Zhang, Feng and their co-tenant, Yang Jie, 36, at a flat in Yishun in September 2008. Yang's daughter, Li Meilin, now 19, survived the attack with slashes to her head, face and neck.
"The severity of his mood symptoms, however, were insufficient to warrant a diagnosis of a major depressive disorder at the time of the alleged offences," Today quoted Koh as saying.
Koh's opinion had differed from another psychiatrist, Dr Tommy Tan, who testified last month as Wang's expert witness that he believed that Wang's condition qualified him for the defence of diminished responsibility.
Wang was diagnosed by both psychiatrists to be suffering from prolonged depressive reaction -- a mental condition of an adjustment disorder with a depressed mood -- as a result of his unstable relationship with Zhang and his unemployment, the paper reported.
According to The New Paper, Koh explained that Wang was "organised" in that he had hidden weapons, went in persuit of the tenants and gave coherent instructions.
If convicted, Wang faces the mandatory death penalty. If he's convicted and qualifies for the defence of diminished responsibilty, he faces 10 years in jail or a life term.
The case has been adjourned to August.
A different case in 2011
A former private bus driver escaped the gallows last year after his murder conviction was overturned upon appeal and amended to culpable homicide with the defence of diminished responsibility.
49-year-old Ong Pang Siew was sentenced to hang in March 2009 after he was found guilty of murdering 15-year-old Ong Pan Hui at her home in Marsiling. Ong had, on 20 Oct 2007, strangled the teen and smashed her head against the floor repeatedly.
During the incident, Ong displayed bizarre behaviour of alternating between laughing, crying and apologising to his stepdaughter. After the incident, Ong called his brother to tell him he was going to commit suicide and requested his ashes to be thrown into the sea, according to The Straits Times.
Ong’s behaviour showed his abnormal mental state when he committed the crime, the court said, overturning his murder conviction to being guilty of culpable homicide, which carries up to 10 year’s jail or life imprisonment.
He was sentenced to 10 years’ jail by the High Court in May 2011.
