'No point keeping him alive'

He killed someone and should pay for it with his life.

These were the angry words of a family member after he learnt the fate of his sister-in-law's killer.

On Thursday, Lim Wee Thong was given life imprisonment and 24 strokes of the cane for stabbing his girlfriend, Madam Loh Nyuk Moi, 50, multiple times three years ago.

She was found dead in an HDB flat at Yung Ping Road, Jurong, in February 2011.

Her brother-in-law, who wanted to be known only as Mr Pang, 50, a financial adviser, was at the Supreme Court on Wednesday to see the 48-year-old Lim sentenced .

Speaking to The New Paper outside the courtroom, he said: "There is no point keeping people like him alive in jail and that (requires) money. "I am for the death penalty so that we can walk safely on the streets."

Court documents revealed that in 2010 and 2011, Lim, then a prison officer, incurred substantial debts. He took loans from unlicensed moneylenders, friends and the Singapore Prison Service's multi-purpose cooperative society.

Madam Loh, a clerk, was one of four girlfriends of Lim, who was married, during this period.

All the women gave him money so he could pay off his loans. In Nov 2010, Madam Loh received $115,000 for the en-bloc sale of her HDB flat at Yung Ping Road.

On Feb 13, 2011, she met Lim at the empty flat. There, he stabbed her multiple times in the chest sometime between Feb 13 and Feb 16, 2011. He left the flat with the knife and Madam Loh's belongings.

He also withdrew $14,500 from her bank accounts between Feb 13 and Feb 17, 2011.

Madam Loh was found dead in the flat on the morning of Feb 16 by her brother and uncle.

Lim was arrested a day later at Causeway Point shopping centre while he was with another girlfriend.

On Feb 18, 2011, he was charged with murder under Section 300 (a) of the Penal Code, which meant the mandatory death penalty if convicted. He was also slapped with 15 charges of theft.

CHARGE AMENDMENT

Lim's trial was initially scheduled for 16 days starting last month.

But on the fourth day, the prosecution announced an amendment to the charge.

Lim would face the murder charge under Section 300 (b), which meant he could receive life imprisonment with caning, and possibly escape capital punishment. He pleaded guilty to the amended murder charge, with the 15 charges of theft to be taken into consideration.

On Thursday, Deputy Public Prosecutor Shahla Iqbal pressed for life imprisonment and caning, calling Lim a selfish, self-centred and manipulative man who had no remorse for his actions and preyed on lonely women.

In mitigation, defence lawyer Anand Nalachandran urged Judicial Commissioner Tan Siong Thye to consider Lim's adjustment disorder, mild cognitive impairment and that he had served the prison service for more than 20 years. He added that Lim regrets what he has done.

Before sentencing, the judicial commissioner said Lim "viciously" inflicted 10 stab wounds on Madam Loh.

He then sentenced Lim to the maximum 24 strokes and life imprisonment, which would be backdated to Feb 18, 2011, when he was first remanded.

rloh@sph.com.sg

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