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Man on trial for killing wife's former lover

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They became colleagues in 2007 and started an extra-marital affair in 2011, which eventually led to the alleged murder of one of the lovers.

Serene Goh Yen Hoon and Dexmon Chua Yizhi, who were working at carton manufacturer Tetra Pak, ended their affair in 2012 after Goh’s husband, Chia Kee Chen, found out about it.

When Chia later discovered a message sent by Chua, he flew into a rage and plotted to kill his wife’s ex-lover, according to the prosecution. In 2013, 56-year-old Chia allegedly succeeded in his plan and now faces one charge of murder.

On his first day of trial in the High Court on Tuesday (25 October), Chia pleaded not guilty before Justice Choo Han Teck to the charge of allegedly murdering 37-year-old Chua between 9.44 pm on 28 December 2013 and 3.17 am on 29 December 2013.

Court papers revealed that Chia committed the offence with Febri Irwansyah Djatmiko, a 33 year-old Indonesian, and was aided by another accomplice Chua Leong Aik. Febri is still at large while Leong Aik had been dealt with earlier.

Taking the stand, 49-year-old Goh, who was wearing a grey cardigan, kept looking straight as the prosecution read out her condition statement. At one point, Chia looked at his wife briefly before bowing his head.

In her statement, Goh said that she first knew Chua in 2007 when he offered to send her home after work. The relationship later became intimate and they had sex in Chua’s car and house, and in a hotel. Chua was still married to a Thai woman at the time.

End of the affair

In 2012, Chia discovered the affair after he caught Goh texting Chua. Using Goh’s mobile phone, Chia called Chua and warned him to stop contacting his wife.

Thereafter, Goh and Chua ended their affair. Chia allegedly still stalked Chua by driving his car to tail the victim.

During Chinese New Year in 2013, Chua sent Goh a festive greeting to her. Despite Goh calling Chua to tell him off, Chia was still agitated.

Sometime in December 2013, Chia contacted Febri, who was working for him in a fish farm in Tanjung Pinang, Indonesia. Court papers showed that Chia told the Indonesian that he needed his help to take revenge against Chua.

Febri came with Leong Aik, who was also in Tanjung Pinang, to Singapore on 26 December 2013 by ferry. The next day, Chia borrowed a van from a friend of a relative on the pretext that he needed to deliver some goods.

Waited for victim at a carpark

The following day, Chia, Febri and Leong Aik went in the van and arrived at a carpark in Choa Chu Kang, which was near Chua’s house, at about 10 pm. When the victim was spotted parking his car, Chia and Febri confronted him.

The duo then assaulted Chua before dragging him into the van where they tied up his feet and hands. Court papers revealed that the injuries sustained by Chua during the assault proved to be fatal.

Leong Aik then drove the van towards Lim Chu Kang where he stopped as he was frightened. Chia then took over the wheel and they later disposed the body at a live firing area in Lim Chu Kang.

Along with Chia’s wife and two daughters, Chia and Febri left for Johor Bahru on 30 December 2013 where they stayed at a hotel for a night.

Febri returned to Indonesia by ferry the next day while Chia drove his family back to Singapore. Their car was stopped at the Woodlands Checkpoint and Chia was brought back to the Criminal Investigation Department for questioning.

The trial, which is scheduled for two weeks, will resume on Wednesday (26 October). If found guilty, Chia faces the death penalty or life imprisonment.