Killer to hang after losing appeal

AN ASSISTANT store supervisor who murdered the wife of his mahjong partner lost his appeal against conviction on Monday. 

Tan Chee Wee, 30, will hang after the Court of Appeal unanimously upheld his conviction for bludgeoning to death Thabun Pranee, 26, at her home in Chai Chee on Jan 9. 

Tan, a Malaysian, had gone to her three-room flat in Block 45 Chai Chee Street, to rob her. 

He had often played mahjong at the flat with her 51-year-old husband, Ler Lee Mong, a part-time delivery man, and he got her to let him in by saying he needed to use the toilet. 

His lawyer, Peter Yap, who was assigned by the state, said there was never any intention to kill or even injure Thabun, but a struggle developed.  

Tan claimed he hit the woman in the head with a hammer after she grabbed a knife which he was carrying as part of his housebreaking kit and stared at him aggressively. 

Shocked, he grabbed the hammer and hit her on the top of her head, but could not remember how many times he struck her, he had said. 

Thabun died from blunt force injuries to the head. – The Straits Times/Asia News Network