Yishun stabbing: Man, 66, charged with murder

A 66-year-old man was charged on Thursday (Sept 25) with the alleged murder of his neighbour, a Vietnamese woman, in Yishun.

Singaporean Koh Ah Hwee allegedly stabbed 30-year-old Nguyen Phuong Tra outside a unit on the sixth floor of Block 323 Yishun Central on the morning of Sept 24.

She died in hospital.

The police said in an earlier statement that officers responding to the incident saw one woman and two men lying injured at the corridor when they arrived.

Preliminary investigations revealed an altercation had allegedly arose from a noise dispute between Koh and Nguyen's family. The other injured man, aged 33, is Nguyen's husband.

[[nid:723075]]

According to The Straits Times, Koh had allegedly used a knife to stab the mother-of-two in the chest. Her husband allegedly sustained serious injuries trying to stop the man.

The police said Nguyen was unconscious when taken to hospital, where she subsequently died. The two men were conscious when sent to the hospital.

A resident who spoke to AsiaOne on Sept 24 claimed that Koh's sleep had been disturbed by the purported noise originating from Ngyuen's flat. Koh lives on the fifth floor of the block and the victims on the sixth floor.

Nee Soon GRC MP Jackson Lam later confirmed to reporters that a woman believed to be Koh's wife had raised the noise concerns at a Meet-the-People session in July.

He said that an appeal was submitted to HDB, and that it replied saying that a mediation had been arranged, but the noise still persisted.

The case was then escalated to the Community Disputes Resolution Tribunals, according to Lam.

Koh was handed the charge in hospital on Sept 25, reported CNA. If convicted of murder, he faces the death sentence.

The case has been adjourned to Oct 2.

[[nid:723137]]

lim.kewei@asiaone.com