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Suspect in fatal Jalan Besar stabbing fled to Thailand

(Getty Images file photo)
(Getty Images file photo)

A male suspect who stabbed a 42-year-old man to death outside a Jalan Besar pub remains at large, almost two years after the incident.

Oh Beng Yam, 50, fled to Malaysia via the Woodlands Checkpoint less than half-an-hour after allegedly stabbing Chua Meng Guan to death on 11 July 2016, said State Coroner (SC) Kamala Ponnampalam during an inquiry into Chua’s death on Wednesday (21 March).

Further checks with the Malaysian authorities revealed that Oh left for Thailand two days later via the Bukit Kayu Hitam border checkpoint in Kedah. The Thai authorities have been alerted to the case but Oh’s whereabouts “remain unknown to date” with no “credible leads”, SC Kamala added.

CCTV footage showed that Chua had arrived at KSP Pub & KTV along Jalan Besar Road at about 11.17pm on 11 July 2016. He was seen entering the pub briefly before exiting it to get into his car.

Less than 10 minutes later, Oh was seen leaving the pub through the rear exit and re-entering the place holding an object wrapped in newspaper in his hand.

Exiting the place once again, Oh then confronted Chua, who was seated in his car, and an altercation broke out between the two Singaporean men. The fight stopped when two men came out of the pub and separated them.

Another scuffle broke out between both parties shortly after, with Chua backing into a corner in front of the adjacent Trey Hostel. Oh was seen stabbing Chua repeatedly with a knife – leaving the latter with open wounds on his chest and left elbow – before re-entering the pub and fleeing the scene.

Paramedics arrived at the scene at about 11.27 pm and pronounced Chua dead a minute later.

A forensic pathologist found that the victim died from stab wounds to his chest. Autopsy findings revealed that two stab wounds to Chua’s chest had penetrated his lungs while defensive wounds were found on his upper and lower limbs.

“The stab wound on the left chest had transected the upper lobe bronchus (the airway leading to the lung) deep within the left lung tissue,” said SC Kamala. “The aforementioned injury was potentially fatal, and sufficient in the ordinary course of nature to cause death.”

“There is clear and unequivocal evidence of foul play,” she noted, referring to the CCTV footage and autopsy findings.

She added that police investigations have not implicated any other individuals in Chua’s death.

His parents, who were present in court, remained stoic as the findings were delivered.

If found guilty of murder, Oh could face the death penalty.

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