Teen tenant threatens landlady: "I'll get you even if I have to exhume you"

SINGAPORE - What began as a visit to her property for repairs ended in rage from her tenant.

On the first day of a trial involving the eldest son of one of her tenants, the co-owner of the Paya Lebar Crescent property, Madam Khoo Kim Cheng, told the court yesterday that he verbally abused her and threatened her with injury.

National serviceman Pierre Chng Yuheng, 19, allegedly said to her: "I'll look for you six feet underground even if I have to... I'll exhume you.

"You better bless your grandchildren... I'll ruin all of them one by one." 

This was the first of two incidents that allegedly took place in May last year that left the housewife shaken.

Chng, who faces two counts of criminal intimidation, is said to have verbally threatened to ruin Madam Khoo and her family members on May 2, last year.

Twenty days later, he allegedly threatened the mother of four by pointing a tree branch at her.

A third charge of using criminal force on a public servant has been stood down.

His sister, Carmen Chng Jiawen, 17, also faces charges for offences including mischief and voluntarily causing hurt to a public servant.

Her cases will be dealt with separately.

VERBAL THREAT

Madam Khoo told District Judge Lim Keng Yeow that the house was bought in 1992 and she owned it with her husband, Mr Poh Boon Kay.

Part of the house, known as Studio Two, was rented out to Ms Chng Leng Khim and her three children from Feb 1 last year to Jan 31.

The rent was $1,500 a month and, under the tenancy agreement, it had to be paid on the first day of each month.

She testified that the Chngs failed to pay their rent after March.

She went to the house with air-conditioning technician Chan Nam Seng on May 2 last year to perform some repairs.

When she got there, Chng and his 12-year-old younger brother started using abusive language on her and were taking pictures of her with mobile phones. The younger boy cannot be named due to his age.

She said Chng became annoyed when she did likewise by recording a video clip that was about five minutes long.

When it was shown in court yesterday, Chng was seen shouting angrily at her while gesticulating wildly with his hands.

His younger brother was also seen, capturing images of the incident with his own mobile phone.

The youngster was grinning and agreeing with what his elder brother was saying.

For instance, when Chng said: "We will play dirty", the boy added: "We will play dirtier. You don't know who you're dealing with."

Madam Khoo said that Chng shoved her.

"They owed me money but I got abused."

In his cross-examination, Chng, who was not represented by a lawyer, said Madam Khoo had called them names like "ill-bred", "squatters" and "liars".

But Madam Khoo denied this.

PHYSICAL THREAT

Madam Khoo returned to the house on May 22, last year, with two workers of a metalwork company.

Known only as KC and Johnny, the two men were there to measure the electrical and water meters before constructing metal encasements.

She said the family still had not paid their rent by then and she was going to lock up the meters.

Chng became angry when he saw the group and started scolding them.

Madam Khoo testified that they did not speak to the Chngs but, at one point, Johnny became angry and scolded the teenager.

She recorded a video clip of the incident and it was also shown in court yesterday.

The minute-long clip showed Chng shouting at Johnny. After that, the teenager picked up a metre-long tree branch and used it to hit the latter's lorry.

Chng was then seen walking towards Madam Khoo holding the branch.

She told the court that she felt very scared when she saw this.

"I'm sure if nobody stopped him, he would (have) hit me," she said.

Another witness, Senior Staff Sergeant (Sgt) Jim Lim Kim Hwee, testified that he was nearby in a patrol car with his partner when they saw the incident.

His partner quickly dashed out to address the situation.

By then, Senior Staff Sgt Lim said the tip of the branch was only about 40cm away from Madam Khoo's face.

The officer said that he was in the neighbourhood as he was responding to a call from Chng, asking for police assistance.

Chng reported that two people had come to the house claiming to be its owners but he claimed that they were not.

The case has been adjourned. The pre-trial conference will be on Aug 18.

If convicted of criminal intimidation, Chng can be jailed up to two years and fined for each count.

THE CHARGES

Pierre Chng Yuheng faces three charges in all - two for criminal intimidation and one for using criminal force on a public servant.

The National Serviceman, 19, is accused of threatening to ruin his landlady, Madam Khoo Kim Cheng, her child, and her grandchildren at a Paya Lebar Crescent house on May 2, last year.

He is also accused of threatening to injure Madam Khoo by pointing a 1m-long tree branch at her 20 days later.

On June 6 last year, Chng allegedly swung his arms at Police Corporal Eric Tan Bing Xiang, causing his glasses to fall off.

Carmen Chng Jiawen, 17, faces four charges in all - one count each for using abusive words on public servants, obstructing a policeman from carrying out his duties, voluntarily causing hurt to a police officer and mischief.

At around 3.15pm on June 6 last year, Carmen allegedly prevented Staff Sergeant (Staff Sgt) Chris Tan Zhi Yong from putting Chng, her elder brother, in handcuffs by pulling the policeman's lower arm.

About 1½ hours later, she allegedly used vulgar language on three other police officers, Corporal Tan, Sgt Sritharchana R. Jayaprakas and Assistant Superintendant Deng Qiyuan.

Carmen is also accused of kicking Sgt Sritharchana on her knees and stomach at around 5pm that day, causing bruises on both her knees and tenderness around her right lower ribs.

At 5.15pm, she allegedly kicked the right rear passenger window of a police car, causing the internal PVC cover of the right rear door to crack. According to court papers, the damage amounted to $100.

Her pre-trial conference will be held on Aug 18.

What Chng allegedly said

What National Serviceman Pierre Chng Yuheng, 19, allegedly said to his landlady, Madam Khoo Kim Cheng, on May 2, last year:

"I'll look for you six feet underground even if I have to...I'll exhume you.

Don't worry. And your grandchildren and children, I'm gonna look for them.

Do not ever give me the authority to do anything, they are doomed.

"You better bless your grandchildren...You better bless them. Your grandchildren. Cos I'm gonna deal with them.

"I have done to Sheena Poh Xue Li (Madam Khoo's second daughter). I have done it to her.

"I will do it to every one of them. That daughter that you came with the other day.

The grandchildren. I shall come. One by one. I'm gonna deal with all of them.

"Sheena Poh Xue Li is already ruined by me. I'll ruin all of them one by one."

This article was first published on August 7, 2014.
Get The New Paper for more stories.