Man is killed after spat with younger brother

AS HER son lay in a pool of his own blood in a bedroom, Madam Gan Chai Min tried frantically to staunch the bleeding from his neck.

But her desperate efforts were in vain - Mr Ng Yao Cheng, 26, died soon after.

Her youngest son was then arrested by police for allegedly murdering his older brother after they got into an argument that turned deadly.

After the fracas, Madam Gan sent her domestic helper to get help at the guardhouse of their Choa Chu Kang condominium.

The young Indonesian helper in her 20s, shouted "Help! Help!" as she ran past the swimming pool to reach the security officers.

Her loud cries roused a security officer who was sleeping in the cleaner's room at the clubhouse.

When security officer Thinesh Muniady got to Madam Gan's apartment, he saw her wailing and pressing her son's shirt to his wound to stop blood from streaming out.

"Her other son was standing outside the door and looking all panicky," said the 25-year-old security officer, who was the first to arrive at the scene.

"There were only the mother and the maid at home when the stabbing happened," he told The Straits Times. "The father was not home. He came back later after the police had arrived."

The police were called in at 11pm on Monday.

Apart from the security officer, Madam Gan's youngest son Ng Yao Wei, 21 - also known as Cedric - had called the police as well, informing them that a murder had taken place at their Windermere condominium home.

Police arrived and found Mr Ng Yao Cheng lying motionless in one of the three bedrooms.

He was subsequently pronounced dead by paramedics at 11.16pm.

His injury is believed to have been inflicted by a knife. Officers then arrested Ng Yao Wei.

The Straits Times learnt that the two brothers had not been on good terms. It is not known what the siblings were arguing about on Monday evening.

Mr Thinesh said that the youngest son did not put up any struggle when he was arrested.

He is believed to have suffered injuries and was taken to a hospital while his older brother's body was still in the apartment.

At around midnight, a neighbour's maid said she heard Madam Gan's cries when she woke up to use the bathroom.

"The woman cried non-stop and she sounded so pitiful. I could hear her running in and out of her flat, but I didn't dare to open my door to check," said the Indonesian, who declined to be named.

"The cries got louder and more people joined in. I heard a man and another woman crying together in their garden" next door.

There are four units on the ground floor of the block. Madam Gan's two other neighbours said they were sound asleep and did not hear any commotion that night. The neighbours described the Gan family as quiet but friendly. They kept to themselves.

Madam Gan, 61, runs a hair salon while her husband, Mr Ng Soon Guan, 63, is a taxi driver. The couple have three sons.

Neighbours said they seldom see the eldest son, aged 29, as he is said to be living overseas.

The couple's youngest son, who was arrested, had recently completed a diploma course at Singapore Polytechnic. His excellent results had put him on the Director's Honour Roll during his second year. Previously, he had attended the Institute of Technical Education College Central.

A police hearse arrived and removed Mr Ng Yao Cheng's body from the apartment at about 3.30am. Police have classified the case as murder, and investigations are ongoing.

joycel@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on April 15, 2015.
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