Man jailed for killing secret society member

A MAN who fled Singapore three years ago after taking part in the killing of a fellow secret society member was finally punished for it on Friday.  

Robson Tay Teik Chai, 36, was sentenced by the High Court to nine years’ jail and 12 strokes of the cane for the culpable homicide of odd-job labourer Leong Fook Weng, also 36. 

Last July, the law caught up with him at Changi Airport, when he flew in from France after serving two years there for drug trafficking. 

The victim was stabbed to death at a vacant plot near a cemetery in Kheam Hock Road between 5am and 6am on May 17, 2000. He was found in only his underwear. 

Three others are wanted in connection with the killing. 

One of them, See Chee Keong, 37, is now behind bars in Cambodia for drug trafficking, while the other two, Ong Chin Huat, 41, and Lim Hin Teck, 36, are at large. 

On Friday, Tay’s lawyer, Singa Retnam, who was assisted by Chia Boon Teck, said in mitigation that his client had never intended to cause Leong grievous bodily harm or to kill him and was extremely remorseful for what had happened. 

However, Justice Choo Han Teck said the fact remained that the dead man had been subjected to a long and brutal assault and Tay’s participation could not be discounted. – The Straits Times/Asia News Network