Thursday August 23, 2012

Murdered bank manager’s wife and boyfriend charged with abetment

Back to prison: Christine being led to a police truck.

SIBU: The wife of the bank manager who was knifed to death on June 14 has been tentatively charged with abetment under Section 109 of the Penal Code which is read together with Section 302 of the same code.

Her 26-year-old boyfriend, Andrew Tiong King Guan, was also tentatively charged under the same code at the Sessions Court here yesterday.

Christine Ling Hang Syr, 31, together with Tiong, a car salesman, were charged with abetting and engaging the lead suspect, Ling Hoe Ing, 24, with the common intention to kill Christine’s husband Wong King Kui, 31.

Hoe Ing, who admitted to police that he intruded into the deceased’s house and killed him, was charged under Section 302 of the same code for murder.

When the charges were read to them, all three understood them. No plea was taken from them.

If convicted, they could face the mandatory death sentence by hanging. The duo were represented by a defence team led by Sempurai Petrus Ngelai.

Three other suspects — Wong Miew Woon, 27, two brothers Sia Ung Hee, 43, and Sia Ling Hee, 38 — were released unconditionally on bond under Section 118 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

They however have to appear in court as witnesses.

Sarikei Sessions Court Judge Jackson Juga fixed Sept 21 for further mention of the case.

The trio are now being remanded at the Sibu Central Prison. Their remand was needed as the police are still waiting for the chemistry report on their DNA, including other items seized as exhibits from the crime scene.

Inside the court yesterday, the public gallery was packed with family members and relatives of the three accused, as well as members of the public.

They had waited in the courtroom as early as 8am while the case was only heard at 11.30am.

Scores of people were also in the court compound hoping to catch a glimpse of the accused as the case has become public interest.

Christine, wearing a grey T-shirt and blue jeans, bowed her head to avoid cameramen when she was escorted to and from the courtroom. Her family members were also in the courtroom as she wept uncontrollably.

Tiong wore a light blue T-shirt, and he used his hands to cover his face.

In the gruesome murder, King Kui was knifed to death at about 1.30am on June 14 in the bedroom of his house in Jalan Ulu Sungai Merah.

Back then, Christine told police that she ran up to investigate after hearing a commotion.

She saw figures fighting in the dark, and when she switched on the lights, one of them disappeared from the scene.

King Kui was lying in a pool of blood, and she screamed for help.

The first person she made a distress call to was King Kui’s uncle who, together with other family members, rushed to the scene.

The uncle called police who arrived at 2am and left at 4am after doing all the necessary investigations.

The ambulance which arrived earlier at 1.45am brought the deceased’s body to the Sibu Hospital mortuary for post-mortem.

King Kui died of deep cuts to the back of his neck and also to the back of his body.

News

Thursday August 23, 2012

Murdered bank manager’s wife and boyfriend charged with abetment