222:
he killed Curci on that day, and he claimed he was panicked when he was caught red-handed by the victim, whom he restrained and strangled by an arm lock by slinging one of his arms around Curci's neck, while she was struggling and trying to defend herself (it led to Maksa being bitten on the finger during the scuffle). Later, when Curci fell unconscious, Maksa, who thought that Curci had died, dragged the body into the bathroom of Curci's daughter's bedroom, where he placed the whole body inside a bathtub filled with water before he fled the house. Maksa also told police he only intended to commit robbery but not murder. Maksa even demonstrated how he restrained the victim to
Inspector Ng Chee Kok, Sergeant Tay Hock Lai and a Corporal Low when re-enacting the crime.
271:
was murdered. He stated that the witnesses were all family members directly or indirectly related to Maksa and they should be regarded as witnesses who had his interests at heart and may have concocted evidence to his advantage, and based on the time of Curci's death and the time Maksa left the house (which was actually 7.30am), Maksa had more than ample time to commit the murder and burglary before seeing the doctor. For this, DPP Foenander argued that Maksa was indeed at the scene of crime on the day of the murder and he should be convicted of murder.
263:
away from his flat, and that he never left the clinic while he was waiting for his turn to consult Dr
Winston Ee, the clinic doctor who verified that he indeed saw Maksa at around that timing. He ended his testimony by stating he returned home at 11am. Maksa's family members, including his mother Yam binte Md Kasa, his eldest sister Khatijah, his second eldest sister Jalilah, his elder brother Shaari and his sister-in-law Azizah (Shaari's wife), were all summoned to court to give their testimonies to support Maksa's alibi defence.
187:
outside the house cleaning the bungalow while the killing took place indoors, and this was their third day of work at the bungalow since the Di
Girolamo family hired them. Three members (including Lim) of the hired cleaning group were questioned but none of them stated they heard or see anything amiss when they arrived at the bungalow to start their work. The fourth and final member, 18-year-old Maksa bin Tohaiee, was absent from work at the time of the murder, but nonetheless, Maksa was considered as a suspect behind the murder.
267:
husband's flat at the same timing of around 8am or near to 9am. Maksa's brother flatly stated he could not remember if he indeed saw Maksa that morning. Maksa's elder sister, who initially stated she never saw Maksa at home between 7am and 10am during police questioning, changed her story in court and claimed she saw Maksa at home around 8am and also seen him leaving the flat while she was taking care of and feeding her newborn child.
171:, and as he arrived home, Do Girolamo noticed the items inside the house were in full disarray and tried to look for his wife, but to no avail. Subsequently, inside the bathroom of his daughter's bedroom, much to the shock and grief of Di Girolamo, his 38-year-old wife Clementina Curci Di Girolamo was discovered dead, with her nude body immersed inside a bathtub full of water. Like her husband, Curci first migrated from
139:, who was part of the cleaning team hired by Curci's family to clean the house and the sole member absent at the time of her murder, was arrested and charged with murder, and Maksa confessed to having sneaked into the house to steal items and strangled Curci before killing her. Although Maksa later attempted to retract his confession and raised an alibi defence during his trial, he was found guilty of murder and
183:
death within a short period of time. There were signs of injuries and bruises on the neck and face, which supported the possibility that Curci was strangled, and the water inside her lungs also supported the fact of her having drowned. Dr Tan also confirmed there were no signs of sexual assault on the victim. The time of death was fixed at between 7am and 9am on 10 October.
128:. After she was strangled and became unconscious, Curci's naked body was immersed in a bathtub full of water, resulting in her death due to both drowning and strangulation. Police also established that several items had been stolen from the house, and the hired cleaners of the house stated they never noticed anything amiss while working outside the house.
439:
382:
712:
730:
550:
802:
784:
622:
532:
475:
457:
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In rebuttal, DPP Foenander, who based the prosecution's case mostly on Maksa's confession, argued that the alibi defence raised by Maksa was weak and should not be relied on, given that there were inconsistent details and uncertainties on the true whereabouts of Maksa during the time frame when Curci
266:
However, the testimonies of the witnesses were all riddled with inconsistencies and uncertainties. Maksa's mother claimed that she saw her son at her flat at around 8.45am before he left the flat to visit the clinic, and yet Maksa's sister-in-law stated she saw Maksa resting at the living room of her
274:
On 25 November 1992, Judicial
Commissioner Amarjeet Singh found Maksa guilty of murder after rejecting his "unsatisfactory" alibi defence and determining that he indeed was at the scene of crime and had murdered Curci in the course of committing burglary. Therefore, 20-year-old Maksa bin Tohaiee was
262:
flat on the sixth floor, where he lived with his mother and two elder sisters. He stated that he went up to the seventh floor, where his brother lived in one of the units, and rested at his brother's living room for two hours before his brother persuaded him to go to the clinic, which was 15 minutes
221:
Maksa also stated that on the day of the murder, the same day he was supposedly absent on medical leave, he actually trespassed the bungalow house from behind through the back window, and went in to steal more items after leaving his flat at around 7.30am. It was at this point Maksa finally admitted
257:
On 19 November 1992, Maksa was called to give his defence. Maksa continued to maintain on the stand that he was innocent and that he had an alibi at the time he supposedly killed Curci. He stated that on 10 October 1990, the day of the murder, he was resting at his older brother Shaari's flat as he
253:
Despite his confession to the police, Maksa firmly denied that he committed the crime. His defence counsel argued that Maksa was assaulted during interrogation by
Inspector Ng Chee Kok and that he was forced to admit to the crime and sign the confession under Inspector Ng's coercion. After a trial
233:
if convicted as charged, since the law allows judges to pass the death sentence on capital offenders who were aged 18 years and above when committing whichever capital crime. The case was later transferred from the district courts to the High Court in August 1991 for trial hearing on a later date.
213:
as he stole them from the Di
Girolamo family's new house. With this new information, Maksa was summoned back to CID, and he readily admitted during questioning that he indeed stole items from the bungalow, starting from the first day he arrived to clean the house. He led the police to a manhole in
182:
According to the forensic pathologist
Clarence Tan, the cause of death was due to both strangulation and drowning. In his report, Dr Tan said that Curci was in a state of asphyxia due to the strangulation and it alone would have led to her death, but the subsequent immersion of water escalated her
186:
Police were contacted and they began investigating the death of Curci, which they classified as murder. A handbag and two black wallets containing S$ 200 in cash were found to be missing during the search in the house. At the time of the murder, a group of hired cleaners, led by Lim Kok Poo, were
214:
Ang Mo Kio where he claimed to have disposed of the brown handbag, but the handbag could not be recovered. Maksa also brought the police to his brother's flat, where they found one of the stolen wallets inside his brother's kitchen. A gold ring, two watches and two
97:
604:
403:
364:
421:
568:
766:
694:
658:
640:
586:
493:
748:
676:
327:
re-enact the case of
Clementina Curci's murder and the re-enactment first aired on 14 October 2003 as the eighth episode of the show's second season. According to prison statistics released in the
194:, but he denied being at the house at the time of the murder and claimed that he was absent on sick leave that same day. After 48 hours of questioning, Maksa was released from the police station.
246:
for the murder of 38-year-old
Clementina Curci. Maksa was represented by defence lawyers Ronald Ng and Luke Lee, while the trial prosecutor was Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Errol Foenander.
225:
Since Maksa had effectively confessed to the murder, he was officially placed under arrest and he was charged with murder two days later on 12 November 1990, and subsequently
205:
By this time, Maksa's 18-year-old girlfriend
Rosidah told police during questioning that shortly after his release from the CID, Maksa had given her a black wallet and
917:
897:
882:
191:
179:
to his company's branch in Singapore in August 1990. She was last seen alive by her husband when she took her two children to school on a taxi at around 7am.
892:
872:
912:
175:
to Singapore on 7 October 1990 (three days before her death) with her daughter and son to live with her husband, who was transferred from
877:
902:
344:
276:
230:
140:
88:
254:
within a trial however, JC Singh accepted that the signed confession Maksa gave to the police should be admitted as evidence.
887:
867:
823:
296:
907:
202:
A month later, on 10 November 1990, Maksa was brought back into police custody a second time for further questioning.
335:
on 26 November 1993 for murdering 38-year-old Clementina Curci. Maksa was 21 years old at the time of his execution.
300:
836:
209:
notes, telling her to sell the wallet and convert the foreign cash (which were worth around S$ 460 in total) to
229:
for investigations. Given the fact that Maksa was 18 years old when he committed murder, he would receive the
519:
243:
168:
125:
38:
315:
247:
280:
144:
299:
on his behalf, but he failed to overturn the death sentence and conviction as the three judges -
226:
206:
307:
176:
131:
A month after the police's first stage of investigations, a 18-year-old cleaner named
861:
332:
311:
303:
148:
136:
100:
Maksa bin Tohaiee, the 18-year-old cleaner charged with Clementina Curci's murder
167:
expatriate, came back home for lunch at his family's new bungalow house around
323:
291:
After Maksa was sentenced to death, he engaged another lawyer John Abraham to
259:
42:
96:
164:
109:
104:
On 10 October 1990, just three days after her whole family migrated from
160:
695:"Murder accused to get family to testify he was not at scene of crime"
292:
242:
On 29 October 1992, 20-year-old Maksa bin Tohaiee stood trial at the
218:
1 notes that belonged to the Di Girolamo family were also recovered.
121:
172:
105:
95:
279:
upon his conviction for murder, since the death penalty was the
331:
episode, it was confirmed that Maksa bin Tohaiee was hanged at
215:
210:
659:"Cleaner's confession to killing housewife admitted in court"
605:"Cleaner, 18, to be tried for murder of Italian housewife"
314:- unanimously rejected his appeal. Maksa's appeal to the
250:(JC) Amarjeet Singh was the presiding judge of the case.
16:
1990 robbery-murder of an Italian housewife in Singapore
641:"Cleaner admitted killing Italian woman, court told"
258:was sick. He woke up at around 8am at his mother's
84:
70:
56:
48:
34:
26:
494:"Teenage cleaner held for murder of Italian woman"
587:"Teenage cleaner charged with housewife's murder"
422:"Belia diberkas berkaitan kes bunuh wanita Italy"
143:on 25 November 1992, and a year later, Maksa was
837:"True Files S2 E4 Murder of The Italian Lady"
8:
190:Maksa was brought in for questioning at the
21:
767:"Cleaner gets death for killing housewife"
20:
404:"Italian woman in bathtub was strangled"
398:
396:
356:
321:In the aftermath, Singapore crime show
124:by an intruder inside her new house at
918:Singaporean people convicted of murder
511:
509:
507:
820:Maksa bin Tohaiee v Public Prosecutor
516:Public Prosecutor v Maksa bin Tohaiee
365:"Italian woman found dead in bathtub"
197:
159:On the afternoon of 10 October 1990,
7:
898:Deaths by strangulation in Singapore
883:20th-century executions by Singapore
893:Violence against women in Singapore
677:"Pembersih akui cekik wanita Italy"
14:
318:for clemency was also dismissed.
163:executive Franco Di Girolamo, an
283:for murder under Singapore law.
63:Clementina Curci Di Girolamo, 38
873:Capital punishment in Singapore
809:(in Chinese). 26 November 1992.
791:(in Chinese). 25 November 1992.
737:(in Chinese). 19 November 1992.
719:(in Chinese). 20 November 1992.
629:(in Chinese). 12 November 1992.
557:(in Chinese). 18 November 1992.
539:(in Chinese). 19 November 1992.
482:(in Chinese). 12 November 1990.
345:Capital punishment in Singapore
913:Italian people murdered abroad
464:(in Chinese). 30 October 1992.
446:(in Chinese). 30 October 1992.
389:(in Chinese). 11 October 1990.
1:
755:(in Malay). 26 November 1992.
683:(in Malay). 19 November 1992.
575:(in Malay). 13 November 1990.
533:"意大利主妇被杀案被告 承认手勒死者颈项只是为钱无意谋杀"
428:(in Malay). 12 November 1990.
198:Maksa's arrest and confession
569:"Belia didakwa bunuh wanita"
114:Clementina Curci Di Girolamo
306:, and two Judges of Appeal
934:
476:"故意放疑犯·果然破命案意籍妇女遇害案嫌凶今天被控"
108:to Singapore, 38-year-old
22:Murder of Clementina Curci
878:1990 murders in Singapore
749:"Dihukum mati bunuh suri"
155:Death and investigations
903:Deaths by strangulation
713:"被告答辩： 死者遇害当日他没到死者家工作"
316:President of Singapore
101:
888:Female murder victims
551:"被告口供书承认 手指被咬住才扼死者颈项"
248:Judicial Commissioner
151:on 26 November 1993.
99:
77:Maksa bin Tohaiee, 18
731:"被告供证： 当天他生病没到死者家工作"
868:Murder in Singapore
773:. 26 November 1992.
701:. 20 November 1992.
665:. 19 November 1992.
593:. 13 November 1990.
500:. 12 November 1990.
238:Death penalty trial
145:executed by hanging
23:
908:Deaths by drowning
647:. 30 October 1992.
410:. 12 October 1990.
371:. 11 October 1990.
281:mandatory sentence
277:sentenced to death
207:Brazilian currency
141:sentenced to death
102:
771:The Straits Times
699:The Straits Times
663:The Straits Times
645:The Straits Times
611:. 18 August 1991.
609:The Straits Times
591:The Straits Times
498:The Straits Times
440:"意国妇女遭绞勒，裸身死在浴缸里"
408:The Straits Times
369:The Straits Times
161:Philips Singapore
133:Maksa bin Tohaiee
94:
93:
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852:
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118:Clementina Curci
116:, also known as
24:
933:
932:
928:
927:
926:
924:
923:
922:
858:
857:
856:
855:
845:
843:
835:
834:
830:
824:Court of Appeal
818:
814:
801:
800:
796:
783:
782:
778:
765:
764:
760:
747:
746:
742:
729:
728:
724:
711:
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706:
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688:
675:
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562:
549:
548:
544:
531:
530:
526:
514:
505:
492:
491:
487:
474:
473:
469:
458:"裸尸浴缸 经理太太遭人勒死"
456:
455:
451:
438:
437:
433:
420:
419:
415:
402:
401:
394:
381:
380:
376:
363:
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358:
353:
341:
297:Court of Appeal
289:
240:
200:
177:the Netherlands
157:
120:, was brutally
80:
66:
30:10 October 1990
17:
12:
11:
5:
931:
929:
921:
920:
915:
910:
905:
900:
895:
890:
885:
880:
875:
870:
860:
859:
854:
853:
828:
812:
794:
776:
758:
740:
722:
704:
686:
668:
650:
632:
623:"浴缸裸尸案 嫌凶否认有罪"
614:
596:
578:
560:
542:
524:
503:
485:
467:
449:
431:
413:
392:
374:
355:
354:
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288:
285:
239:
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199:
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169:Bo Seng Avenue
156:
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126:Bo Seng Avenue
92:
91:
86:
82:
81:
79:
78:
74:
72:
68:
67:
65:
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58:
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53:
50:
46:
45:
39:Bo Seng Avenue
36:
32:
31:
28:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
930:
919:
916:
914:
911:
909:
906:
904:
901:
899:
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869:
866:
865:
863:
842:
838:
832:
829:
825:
821:
816:
813:
808:
807:Lianhe Zaobao
804:
803:"谋杀意主妇，工人判死刑"
798:
795:
790:
789:Lianhe Wanbao
786:
780:
777:
772:
768:
762:
759:
754:
753:Berita Harian
750:
744:
741:
736:
735:Lianhe Wanbao
732:
726:
723:
718:
717:Lianhe Zaobao
714:
708:
705:
700:
696:
690:
687:
682:
681:Berita Harian
678:
672:
669:
664:
660:
654:
651:
646:
642:
636:
633:
628:
627:Lianhe Wanbao
624:
618:
615:
610:
606:
600:
597:
592:
588:
582:
579:
574:
573:Berita Harian
570:
564:
561:
556:
555:Lianhe Wanbao
552:
546:
543:
538:
537:Lianhe Zaobao
534:
528:
525:
521:
517:
512:
510:
508:
504:
499:
495:
489:
486:
481:
480:Lianhe Zaobao
477:
471:
468:
463:
462:Lianhe Zaobao
459:
453:
450:
445:
444:Lianhe Zaobao
441:
435:
432:
427:
426:Berita Harian
423:
417:
414:
409:
405:
399:
397:
393:
388:
387:Lianhe Zaobao
384:
378:
375:
370:
366:
360:
357:
350:
346:
343:
342:
338:
336:
334:
333:Changi Prison
330:
326:
325:
319:
317:
313:
312:Chao Hick Tin
309:
305:
304:Yong Pung How
302:
301:Chief Justice
298:
294:
286:
284:
282:
278:
272:
268:
264:
261:
255:
251:
249:
245:
237:
235:
232:
231:death penalty
228:
223:
219:
217:
212:
208:
203:
195:
193:
188:
184:
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174:
170:
166:
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154:
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149:Changi Prison
146:
142:
138:
134:
129:
127:
123:
119:
115:
111:
107:
98:
90:
89:Death penalty
87:
83:
76:
75:
73:
69:
62:
61:
59:
55:
51:
47:
44:
40:
37:
33:
29:
25:
19:
844:. Retrieved
840:
831:
826:(Singapore).
819:
815:
806:
797:
788:
785:"杀意大利妇工人判死刑"
779:
770:
761:
752:
743:
734:
725:
716:
707:
698:
689:
680:
671:
662:
653:
644:
635:
626:
617:
608:
599:
590:
581:
572:
563:
554:
545:
536:
527:
522:(Singapore).
515:
497:
488:
479:
470:
461:
452:
443:
434:
425:
416:
407:
386:
377:
368:
359:
328:
322:
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241:
224:
220:
204:
201:
189:
185:
181:
158:
132:
130:
117:
113:
103:
18:
137:Singaporean
862:Categories
846:28 January
520:High Court
351:References
329:True Files
324:True Files
260:Ang Mo Kio
244:High Court
112:housewife
822:SGCA 38,
308:L P Thean
287:Execution
71:Convicted
43:Singapore
383:"浴缸躺女裸尸"
339:See also
227:remanded
122:murdered
85:Sentence
35:Location
841:meWATCH
295:to the
165:Italian
110:Italian
52:Robbery
293:appeal
57:Deaths
49:Motive
173:Italy
106:Italy
848:2023
310:and
216:US$
135:, a
27:Date
211:SGD
192:CID
147:at
864::
839:.
805:.
787:.
769:.
751:.
733:.
715:.
697:.
679:.
661:.
643:.
625:.
607:.
589:.
571:.
553:.
535:.
518:,
506:^
496:.
478:.
460:.
442:.
424:.
406:.
395:^
385:.
367:.
41:,
850:.
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