Man on trial for killing another over peeing dispute

Man on trial for killing another over peeing dispute

A man's urge to take a leak at a Geylang alley sparked a brawl that took his brother's life.

Chauffeur Yong Sian Moo, then 51, died after suffering blunt force impacts to the head during the fight on Aug 5, 2011.

Melvin Chan Guo Bao, 33, is now on trial on one count each of culpable homicide not amounting to murder and voluntarily causing hurt with a dangerous weapon.

In the prosecution's opening statement yesterday, Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Anandan Bala said that Chan fled the country the following day and was arrested only after he tried to enter Singapore at Changi Airport on July 30, 2013.

Minutes before the fatal fight at about 11.30pm, Chan and a man known as Mr Ang Soo Kwai were selling cough syrup and sleeping pills in the alley between Lorong 11 and Lorong 13 Geylang, said Mr Anandan.

They later spotted Mr Yong's younger brother, hairstylist Calvin Yong Sian Teck, now 51, and a friend entering the alley from the back entrance of the Authentic Teochew Seafood Claypot Porridge Shop.

Mr Ang asked them what they were doing there.

"(Mr Calvin Yong) replied that he wanted to urinate there as the toilet in the porridge shop was occupied. Vulgarities were then hurled at (the two men)," the DPP said.

Unhappy, they went back to the restaurant and Mr Calvin Yong told his brother and two other companions what had happened.

The five men, who had been drinking alcohol that evening, decided to confront the drug peddlers.

At around this time, Chan's boss, Mr Peter Poh Hong Leong, turned up at the alley with his then-girlfriend, Ms Yu Ying Ying.

When the two groups started brawling, Ms Yu ran to the nearby Shi Gong Tang Temple to alert her boyfriend's father, Mr Poh Chuan Seng, who rushed to the scene with two other men, Mr Wang Siew Loong and Mr Lim Kok Tiong.

HIT REPEATEDLY

DPP Anandan told Judicial Commissioner Hoo Sheau Peng: "The accused was seen holding a wooden pole during the fight. He used the said pole to hit (Mr Calvin Yong's) leg repeatedly.

"Shortly after, most of the victim's group fled from the alley."

He added that Chan had also used a wooden pole to repeatedly hit the older Mr Yong's head.

The drug peddlers' group then fled, leaving the two brothers lying on the ground.

After the police were called in, they were taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital, where Mr Yong was pronounced dead about two hours later.

The court heard that Chan, Mr Wang, Mr Ang and the Pohs also left Singapore that day.

Two days later, Mr Lim was charged in court with Mr Yong's murder. He was given a discharge not amounting to an acquittal in December that year.

The Pohs have since returned to Singapore and are under investigation.

Mr Wang and Mr Ang are still at large.

If convicted of culpable homicide, Chan can be jailed for life or up to 20 years, fined and/or caned.

For voluntarily causing hurt with a dangerous weapon, he can be jailed up to seven years, fined and/or caned.

The trial continues today.


This article was first published on Nov 25, 2015.
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