There was nothing amiss

He appeared normal and nothing seemed amiss.

She had no idea that between Feb 13 and Feb 16, 2011, her boyfriend had allegedly murdered one of his other girlfriends.

On Thursday, Ms Koh Siew Hwang told the court that murder accused Lim Wee Thong, then 45, had even spent those few nights at her place after they had dinner.

Sure, the former Changi Prison officer did appear quiet. But it was not unusual - he was like that when he had something on his mind, she said.

They even went to Causeway Point shopping centre to watch a movie on Feb 17, the day Lim was arrested. It was then that she found out he had allegedly stabbed his other girlfriend, Ms Loh Nyuk Moi, 50, at an HDB flat at Yung Ping Road in Jurong, before withdrawing $14,500 from her bank accounts.

Ms Koh, one of at least four girlfriends Lim was seeing concurrently between 2007 and 2011, took the stand on Thursday.

She said she had been in a relationship with Lim - who is married - since 2007.

They first met when she was on a work attachment with Changi Prison. They soon entered into a relationship and developed a routine where he would pick her up from work, have dinner and then stay over at her place, she said.

But, just as with his other two girlfriends who testified earlier, Lim soon started asking Ms Koh for money, citing financial difficulties.

She regularly gave him amounts ranging from $300 to $2,000. She would also pay for his car loans, she said. All in all, she parted with $150,000 during their time together.

But she told the court on Thursday it was never her intention to get him to pay her back.

She said they had an understanding since 2007 that marriage was on the cards. But when she checked the Registry of Marriages website, she found out he was married.

She confronted him in January 2011 but he told her that he wanted to end his marriage to continue his relationship with her, she said.

They agreed to discuss it after the Chinese New Year period that year. Before they could do so, Lim was arrested by the police and has been in remand since.

Also taking the stand on Thursday were Lim's long-time friend, Mr Wee Thian Sang, and his former colleague, Ms Goh Lay See. Both said Lim had borrowed money from them.

The trial, which began on Tuesday, continued on Friday. If convicted, Lim faces the death penalty.

He was not close to his son

They are related by blood but he did not know if his own son was facing any problems.

Mr Lim Jee Ba got to see his son only when the latter visited him at his place. That was the extent of Mr Lim's distant relationship with his son, Lim Wee Thong.

Taking the stand during the third day of Lim's murder trial on Thursday, Mr Lim told the court his son was just three when he divorced Lim's mother after a six-year marriage, which was unregistered. He said he retained custody of Lim and his younger sister, while the mother got custody of Lim's elder sister.

But as Mr Lim was busy working and volunteering at grassroots activities, he said he had little time to take care of Lim and his younger sister and so left the care of his two children to his mother and grandmother.

He added that his son does not confide in him and would visit him only when he had time, passing him between $100 and $200.

rloh@sph.com.sg

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