Tampines racial abuse case: Suspect to be remanded at IMH until March

A screenshot of a YouTube video showing Lee Dji Lin, 63, allegedly harassing a neighbour. (PHOTO: YouTube/Jane Smith)
A screenshot of a YouTube video showing Lee Dji Lin, 63, allegedly harassing a neighbour. (PHOTO: YouTube/Jane Smith)

The 63-year-old woman accused of harassing and hurting the religious feelings of her Tampines neighbours was on Wednesday (8 February) further remanded to undergo psychiatric assessment.

A State Court ordered Lee Dji Lin to be remanded at the Institute of Mental Health (IMH), while her case will be mentioned again on 1 March.

Lee, who was represented by lawyer Chung Ting Fai, had been held in remand since being charged in court on 25 January.

Chung’s application for his client to be released from remand was rejected by District Judge Brenda Tan, who said that Lee could be remanded for up to two months under the law.

Speaking to Yahoo Singapore after Wednesday’s proceedings, Chung said that he had been appointed by Lee’s family and had spoken to her via telephone on her first day of remand last month.

Lee is facing one charge of wounding the religious or racial feelings of Marliah Jonet by throwing a piece of raw pork from a lift, which landed outside the victim’s flat on 18 June 2016. For this charge, she faces a jail term of up to three years, a fine, or both, if found guilty.

Marliah’s plight was highlighted by her sister-in-law, former model Hanis Hussey, who uploaded a video of the alleged incident on YouTube in 2016. In an interview with Yahoo Singapore in June that year, Marliah said that she had been on the receiving end of Lee’s abuse for six years.

Lee is also faces two other harassment charges. She has been accused of waving a pig-shaped figurine and shouting insults at one of Marliah’s daughter on 24 April 2016 as well as swinging a bamboo pole attached with female underwear towards Marliah’s flat on 14 June that same year.

If found guilty, Lee could be fined up to $5,000 for the first harassment charge. For the second harassment charge, she faces up to six months’ jail, a fine of up to $5,000, or both.