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Orchard Towers murder case: Duo get charges reduced to assault

Judge's gavel. (Photo: Getty Images)
Judge's gavel. (Photo: Getty Images)

SINGAPORE — Two men who were accused of murdering a man after a fight at Orchard Towers last year had their capital charges reduced to causing hurt on Friday (21 February).

Joel Tan Yun Sheng and Ang Da Yuan, both 26, were offered bail of $15,000.

Tan’s lawyers Josephus Tan and Cory Wong from Invictus Law told the court that their client intends to plead guilty to his charge. The suspect’s case will be mentioned again on 4 March.

Meanwhile, Ang who is represented by lawyers Anil Singh Sandhu, Kertar Singh and Mohamed Arshad from the firm Kertar & Sandhu, will be back in court on 5 March.

With the development, only one suspect - Tan Sen Yang, 28 - still faces a murder charge.

About the case

Seven men and one woman were arrested in the aftermath of an altercation at Orchard Towers in the early hours of 2 July last year.

The altercation was captured by cameras and widely viewed online. Video footage showed Satheesh Noel Gobidass, 31, fighting with some individuals before stumbling at the building's entrance and collapsing there. He was taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital but died a while later.

Seven of the suspects were later charged with the murder of Satheesh.

Subsequently, three of the men had their capital charges replaced with consorting with Tan Sen Yang, knowing that he had in his possession a foldable curved knife.

The trio are Tan Hong Sheng, 22, Chan Jia Xing, 26, and Loo Boon Chong, 25.

The sole female suspect, Natalie Siow Yu Zhen, 23, had her capital charge replaced with causing hurt. She also received additional charges for consorting with Tan and behaving in a disorderly manner in public.

The punishment for consorting with a person who possesses an offensive weapon is the same as that for the person who carries the weapon: up to three years’ jail with at least six strokes of the cane. Only male offenders below 50 can be caned.

For causing hurt, the maximum penalty is up to two years’ jail along with a fine of up to $5,000.

The maximum punishment for behaving in a disorderly manner in public is a fine of up to $2,000 and up to six months’ jail, for a first offence. Repeat offenders face a fine of up to $5,000 and up to one year in jail.

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