Businessman who hired hitmen to slash mistress' boyfriend convicted
A businessman who masterminded an assault on his mistress’ boyfriend was convicted at the State Courts on Tuesday (2 April).
Lim Hong Liang, 55, was found guilty of one count of engaging in a conspiracy along with five others to voluntarily cause grievous hurt to Joshua Koh Kian Yong on 30 April 2016. The attack left Koh permanently disfigured.
Also convicted of the same charge was 48-year-old Ong Hock Chye, who helped to arrange the attack on Koh.
The prosecution described Lim’s actions as having been “borne out of one man’s jealousy and wounded pride”. It was also noted that Lim had hired hitmen “teach (Koh) a lesson” and that the wound left on the victim was meant as a reminder for Koh to stay away from Lim’s kept mistress, 27-year-old Audrey Chen Ying Fang.
A total seven people were involved in the conspiracy to hurt Koh. This included Lim, Ong, the four hitmen hired by Ong and Lim’s nephew, Ron Lim De Mai.
Lim had instructed his nephew to find someone to break Koh’s hands and legs. Ron then asked Ong to recruit people for the task and Ong later suggested that Koh’s face be slashed instead.
The hitmen were then paid to scar Koh’s face with a penknife.
Provided mistress with car, condo unit
Lim and Chen, a former beauty queen, first met in mid-2014. They became lovers by the end of the year.
While Lim was married with three children at the time, he also provided for Chen and hired her as an administrative executive in his company.
Despite being paid $2,000 a month, she was not required to show up or perform her job. Lim also allowed Chen to live for free in a condominium unit he owned at The Parc, and even paid for its Hello Kitty-themed renovations.
He even bought Chen a white Mercedes Benz but installed a GPS trace device on it to keep tabs on her movements. Lim also instructed Ron to tail Chen and report her whereabouts to him.
Chen, who had access to Lim’s credit cards, later discovered the device in the car and had it removed in June 2016.
Lovers went ‘on the run’
Lim provided for Chen until May 2017 with the expectation that she remain faithful to him. However, Chen entered into a relationship with Koh on 7 April 2016.
When Lim discovered that Chen was seeing Koh, he confiscated her branded goods and demanded that she stop seeing the other man.
On 8 April, when Chen was with Koh in the unit, Ron and Lim’s elder son also showed up and assaulted Koh. Following the attack, Koh and Chen stayed in hotels while “on the run” from Lim.
When he discovered that Koh was still dating Chen, Lim called Ron asking him to get someone to break Koh’s limbs. Ron roped in Ong and gave the latter $2,000 from Lim as a transportation fee. Lim also gave Ron $8,000 to pay Ong and the hitmen.
On the night of 30 April, the couple were dining at Huay Kwang Thai Kitchen off Townshend Road when the hitmen accosted them. Koh was slashed in the face, which left him permanently scarred.
Accused denied involvement in slashing
During the trial, Lim denied that he was behind the 8 April attack. He claimed that he only knew about Chen’s two-timing when his maid told him that another man had visited the condominium unit.
Lim said he was not aware of any altercation between Koh and Ron until Chen called him. He also denied having any involvement in Koh’s slashing. Lim also claimed that the money he had given to Ron was for the latter’s motorcycle repairs.
While on the stand he also claimed that he had monitored Chen’s whereabouts as he suspected her of taking drugs.
“I was not interested in tracking her, I was worried that she may purchase drugs from Malaysia and bring it to my house,” said Lim, who reported his suspicions to the Central Narcotics Bureau on 21 March 2016.
While Ong admitted to being a member of the conspiracy during the trial, he said he did not know Lim nor did he suggest slashing Koh’s face.
The four hitmen have since admitted to their offences. Three have been jailed while one was sentenced to reformative training. Ron was also sentenced for his part in the crime and has received a 36-month jail sentence along with four strokes of the cane.
The case has been adjourned for mitigation and sentencing.
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