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Man jailed 10 years over grisly killing of fiancee

(PHOTO: Getty Images)
(PHOTO: Getty Images)

Convinced that his fiancee was possessed by evil spirits, Gabriel Lee Haw Ling tried to help her but ended up killing the woman he loved instead.

The 42-year-old pleaded guilty on Thursday (23 February) to one charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder for killing 24-year-old Lie Lek Chee sometime between 11.44pm on 30 March 2012 and 6.52am the following day.

Standing before Judicial Commissioner Pang Khang Chau in the High Court, Lee was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment for his crime.

‘Evil spirits’

The statement of facts stated that Lee had been convinced that Lie was possessed when he inflicted multiple cuts on her neck while attempting to cut off her head. He also hacked off his victim’s right foot.

Lee was going through a divorce when he got to know Lie through a social networking website in April 2011, the statement added. The couple dated and started to cohabit in an apartment in Jurong two months later. The pair shared the apartment with two other men.

Lee, who was working as a security guard then, developed a belief that their apartment was haunted by evil spirits. He also believed that Lie was possessed by spirits and even brought her to a church for an exorcism.

Lee had also proposed to Lie on 26 March 2012 while the couple were on a trip to Genting Highlands together with Lie’s mother. The trio returned to Singapore on 29 March.

Police called while victim was still alive

On 30 March 2012, Lee gave his fiancee a bath in the apartment’s common bathroom at about 6pm. During this time, one of the apartment’s other tenants heard groans and loud voices coming from the bathroom.

Three hours later, the same tenant realised that the couple were still in the bathroom and informed the apartment’s fourth tenant, who then called for Lee and Lie to leave the bathroom. However, the couple only emerged 20 minutes later, with Lie looking pale and Lee supporting her out of the bathroom.

The couple then went back to their room but the loud groaning noises continued, which eventually led one of the tenants to call the police.

When police officers arrived a few minutes later, Lee allowed them into his room. The officers found nothing amiss and saw Lie lying on a mattress on the floor.

Lee told the officers that everything was fine and Lie said that was she just feeling weak from a recent abortion. The officers then left the apartment after reminding Lee to keep the peace.

Between 11.44pm that night and 6am the next morning – the period during which Lee committed the crime – the apartment’s other tenants continued to hear groaning, wailing and shouting coming from Lee’s room.

Bloodstains on victim’s room door

At about 6.30am the next day, one of the tenants was going to the toilet when he noticed bloodstains on the door to Lee and Lie’s room. The tenant also heard Lee moaning in his room and called the police a few minutes later.

Paramedic Low Lye Leng said that he found the room door ajar and blood on the floor when he arrived at the scene. Low also said that Lie was lying topless and face up on top of Lee. She was motionless with her eyes closed and had severe injuries on her neck.

Low then left the room and waited for the police to arrive. During this time, Lee gouged out Lie’s eyes and threw them out of the window. The eyes were later discovered on a grass patch below the apartment block.

Police officers found Lee naked and kneeling next to Lie. He was also groaning and chanting while holding a yellow object that resembled a cross. The officers subsequently arrested Lee.

In calling for a jail term of at least 12 years, Deputy Public Prosecutor Hay Hung Chun said that while Lee had brief psychotic disorder at the time of the offence, the crime committed was heinous and deserved a more severe sentence.

However, Lee’s lawyer Sunil Sudheesan argued that his client had expressed remorse of his actions and is a heartbroken man who deserves one chance.

“He ultimately killed a lady that he loved, which itself is a punishment,” said Sunil.

Lee’s 10-year sentence was backdated to 1 April 2012, when he was first remanded.

Mother’s anger

Lie’s mother, who attended the sentencing, cried in anguish as she expressed her unhappiness with the punishment meted out while addressing reporters outside of the court.

Speaking in Mandarin, 54-year-old Madam Chen Yoke Mooi said, “He (Lee) gets 10 years for killing someone. He doesn’t have to pay with his life. This is too much, what kind of law is this? He has money to hire a good lawyer to settle things.”

“My daughter died such a horrible death. She died for nothing,” she said.