Knowledge (XXG)

Murder of Yeu Lam Ching

Source 📝

325:, delivered their judgement. They found that there was overwhelming evidence against Mazlan and it was sufficient grounds to prove him guilty of the murder of Yeu Lam Ching and hence, they dismissed his appeal. Aside from this, they accepted the prosecution's arguments, stating that there was no constitutional right for suspects to remain silent during interrogation, and that the constitution provided no obligation for police to inform the suspects that they had the right to remain silent. The three judges also opined that as long as a statement was made voluntarily, whether or not the suspect was told by police to tell the truth or remain silent, it was still admissible as evidence. The verdict was also a significant landmark due to its ruling on the validity of constitutional rights for suspects to exercise the right to silence. 179:. One of Yew's daughters, a 28-year-old school-teacher, stated that her father was hard working and kind to his friends and family. His colleagues were also shocked to hear that he had been murdered. The murder of Yeu Lam Ching was one of the three murder cases to happen within 24 hours during the same week. Aside from the present case, another involved a 30-year-old nightclub waitress Chan Siew Ying who was killed by her 38-year-old husband Loo Beng Hoe (later jailed for five years for manslaughter) and 34-year-old Thai worker Thongdam Sarathit who was axed to death by his 35-year-old compatriot Somwang Phattanasaeng (later sentenced to death for murder). 261:
armed with a knife prior to the robbery-murder. They also noted that Mazlan never implicated Abdul Aziz in the stabbing, and there was only a small portion of the statement illustrating how Abdul Aziz held on to Yeu's hands a while before and during the stabbing. Therefore, the two judges found it was unsafe to convict Abdul Aziz of murder on the grounds of insufficient evidence to determine the full extent of his conduct, and also chose to refrain from drawing an adverse inference through Abdul Aziz's decision to remain silent. In conclusion, 33-year-old Abdul Aziz bin Abdul Rahman was sentenced to ten years in prison and
168:, the forensic pathologist who performed an autopsy on the victim, he found that the lorry driver had a total of four knife wounds inflicted on his neck with great force, and two of them were fatal, and it caused the lorry driver to die within five to ten minutes. Professor Chao also stated that the estimated time of death was between midnight and 2am on the morning of 25 March, the same date when the lorry driver's corpse was found by police officers in a passing patrol car (who were searching for a suspect of a taxi robbery that happened nearby). The case was classified as murder, and police detective 224:
his upcoming wedding, he agreed to Mazlan's plan to rob a Chinese woman (who operated a nearby gambling den), but the original target never appeared at the venue of their first attempt. Therefore, they changed their target and instead attacked Yeu. According to Abdul Aziz, he witnessed Mazlan approaching the victim and attacked him, and Abdul Aziz himself came from behind to grab onto Yeu's hands, and during which, he witnessed Mazlan stabbing Yeu with a knife. Abdul Aziz maintained that he was unarmed, he never took part in the stabbing, and that he only robbed Yau.
223:
Abdul Aziz elected to remain silent when his defence was called next. However, his police statements were read out in court, and his version of events was that, he never took part in the murder but only admitted to committing robbery. Abdul Aziz recounted that due to his need for money to prepare for
219:
Mazlan was first asked to give his defence and he elected to do so. During his police interrogation, Mazlan stated that he armed the knife because he wanted to use it to rob Yeu but never intended to kill him. He stated that when he attacked Yeu, he used the knife to stab Yeu but never exert a lot of
306:
for the prosecution, also submitted to the court that the constitution did not have a doctrine to obligate police investigators to inform suspects that they could remain silent during interrogation, and there was no right for suspects to remain silent during their interrogation for criminal charges.
289:
against his conviction and sentence, Jeyaretnam also argued that the failure of the police to inform Mazlan of his right to remain silent during police questioning was a breach of his constitutional rights. He also cited that this did not uphold Mazlan's right to equality under the law since he made
260:
In the case of Abdul Aziz, the two judges found that the evidence against Abdul Aziz only showed that he was a mere participant in the robbery but was not involved in the stabbing, and Abdul Aziz himself confessed to only committing robbery but not murder, and never had the knowledge that Mazlan was
277:
against his conviction and sentence, the prosecution simultaneously filed a motion to challenge the trial judge's decision to reject Mazlan's police statement. A small portion of the trial verdict stated that both judges agreed with Mazlan's defence counsel that he should have been informed of the
235:
In the case of Mazlan, the two judges found that Mazlan had intentionally knifed Yeu four times on his neck, such that two of these stab wounds were sufficient in the ordinary course of nature to cause death, and instead of using very little force as he claimed, Mazlan had evidently used a great
337:
at dawn. On the same day when Mazlan was executed, two convicted drug traffickers, a Hongkonger named Wong Wai Hung (aged 33) and a Singaporean named Tan Nguan Siah (aged 39), were both put to death at the same prison for trafficking 4.6kg of heroin and 46.44g of heroin respectively in separate
240:. They also found that Mazlan did not suffer from diminished responsibility due to drug or alcohol intoxication at the time of the offence, and opined that he was fully conscious and aware of his actions at the time of the killing. Therefore, 27-year-old Mazlan bin Maidun was found 220:
force during the stabbing. Mazlan also claimed on the stand that he ate sleeping pills and drank alcohol before the crime, and due to the effects of intoxication by alcohol and sleeping pills, he cannot remember exactly how he stabbed the lorry driver.
354:
The case of Mazlan bin Maidun was cited as one of the cases related to the review of police investigation procedures to ensure there was no abuse and ruling of the admissibility of a confession in court per the voluntariness of the statement made.
206:
for one count of murdering Yeu Lam Ching back in 1988. Lee Sing Lit led the prosecution of the trial, while Joseph Gay represented Mazlan and B Jeyabalan represented Abdul Aziz. The trial was presided by two judges: Justice S Rajendran and
278:
right to remain silent during his interrogation by police and thus rejected his statement as evidence. Nonetheless, in general, the conviction of Mazlan for murder was based on the other sources of evidence presented in the court.
256:
as the sole punishment for murder upon an offender's conviction. Mazlan's younger sister (who was present in court) was reportedly devastated to hear that her brother was given the death sentence for killing Yeu.
211:
Goh Phai Cheng. It was the prosecution's contention that both Mazlan and Abdul Aziz had participated in the robbery-murder of Yeu after they ambushed him while he was resting and smoking outside his lorry in
189:
Soon after Mazlan was caught, his accomplice, a 29-year-old postman named Abdul Aziz bin Abdul Rahman was arrested on 31 March 1988. He was also charged with murder on 2 April 1988.
265:
for a reduced charge of armed robbery, after the trial judges acquitted him of murder. Abdul Aziz's sentence was backdated to the date of his arrest on 31 March 1988.
338:
cases. They were among the first people to be hanged in Singapore during the year 1994 itself; Wong and Tan were the 43rd and 44th persons to be executed under the
148:, while Abdul Aziz, who only robbed the victim and never took part in the stabbing, was found guilty of armed robbery and thus jailed for ten years and given 1107: 1082: 1097: 1092: 294:) argued that the police never had the duty by the rule of law to tell suspects that they had the right to remain silent during police questioning. 358:
Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahman, Mazlan's accomplice who escaped the gallows, was released since 1998 after completing his ten-year sentence in prison.
183: 144:, were swiftly arrested and charged with murder. Mazlan, who directly stabbed the victim to death with a knife, was found guilty of murder and 182:
On 29 March 1988, four days after Lam was murdered, a 23-year-old suspect and labourer was arrested at Woodbridge Hospital (now known as the
973: 39: 1102: 1077: 347: 164:, a 49-year-old lorry driver was found dead in front of his parked lorry, with three stab wounds on his neck. According to Professor 377: 333:
On 21 January 1994, for the charge of murdering Yeu Lam Ching nearly six years prior, 29-year-old Mazlan bin Maidun was hanged in
295: 285:
in October 1992, during which the prosecution's motion was also heard. From the appellant Mazlan's side, not only did his lawyer
372: 339: 245: 232:
On 23 May 1992, the two trial judges - Judicial Commissioner Goh Phai Cheng and Justice S Rajendran - delivered their verdict.
145: 487: 793: 757: 577: 523: 505: 469: 1053: 703: 775: 1017: 919: 451: 1087: 1035: 865: 829: 811: 282: 883: 175:
The murdered lorry driver, identified as Yeu Lam Ching, was married with two daughters and two sons, and he resided at
999: 937: 955: 685: 667: 613: 595: 541: 415: 901: 739: 649: 631: 559: 433: 311: 847: 721: 397: 345:
More than a year after Mazlan was hanged, the murder of Yeu Lam Ching was re-enacted by Singaporean crime show
203: 249: 216:, and both robbers were said to have stolen cash and valuables worth S$ 177 from Yeu after killing him. 208: 202:
On 13 April 1992, both Mazlan bin Maidun and Abdul Aziz bin Abdul Rahman were brought to trial at the
253: 169: 367: 290:
the statements without the knowledge that he could remain silent. However, the prosecution (led by
262: 149: 43: 236:
amount of force to inflict the wounds as corroborated by the autopsy findings of Professor
237: 165: 286: 186:). The suspect, identified as Mazlan bin Maidun, was charged with murder the next day. 1071: 334: 322: 314: 299: 318: 303: 80: 974:"Crimewatch 1995 S1 Ep 5 Bukit Timah Ave Robbery & Murder / Road Safety Tips" 241: 213: 176: 161: 129: 57: 291: 61: 310:
On 13 October 1992, the Court of Appeal's three-judge panel, consisting of
342:
after the mandatory death sentence was implemented for drug trafficking.
274: 136:(杨云清 Yáng Yúnqīng) was robbed and murdered by two men. The two men, 1054:"Safeguards desirable to ensure statements are truly 'voluntary'" 1018:"Safeguards desirable to ensure statements are truly 'voluntary'" 172:
led the police investigations in the murder of the lorry driver.
152:. Mazlan was hanged on 21 January 1994 after losing his appeal. 794:"Accused has no constitutional right to remain silent — lawyer" 470:"Jobless man gets 5 years for killing his unfaithful wife" 776:"Telling suspects of right to silence: Court to decide" 758:"A-G: Must accused be told of right to remain silent?" 920:"Hongkonger and S'porean hanged for drug trafficking" 118: 110: 102: 94: 86: 76: 68: 50: 28: 21: 830:"No constitutional right to silence for suspects" 578:"Postman second to be accused of killing driver" 298:'s law school lecturer and practicing lawyer 8: 506:"Suspect in murder of lorry driver arrested" 273:In July 1992, while Mazlan bin Maidun was 18: 16:1988 murder of a lorry driver in Singapore 1036:"Enough safeguards to check police abuse" 704:"Man gets death for killing lorry driver" 160:On 25 March 1988, at a forested area in 389: 452:"3 murders discovered within 24 hours" 281:The appeal of Mazlan was heard by the 106:Sin Hup Lee Timber Trading Private Ltd 7: 14: 1108:Violence against men in Singapore 1083:20th-century murders in Singapore 378:List of major crimes in Singapore 296:National University of Singapore 1098:Deaths by stabbing in Singapore 1093:Capital punishment in Singapore 373:Capital punishment in Singapore 962:(in Chinese). 22 January 1994. 908:(in Chinese). 21 January 1994. 890:(in Chinese). 21 January 1994. 854:(in Chinese). 14 October 1992. 632:"罗厘司机遇害案首被告口供 持刀目的是抢劫没有意图杀害死者" 193:Trial of Mazlan and Abdul Aziz 1: 1022:The Straits Times (Overseas) 938:"First two hanged this year" 924:The Straits Times (Overseas) 812:"Death row man loses appeal" 674:(in Chinese). 14 April 1992. 566:(in Chinese). 30 March 1988. 548:(in Chinese). 31 March 1988. 440:(in Chinese). 26 March 1988. 422:(in Chinese). 15 April 1992. 404:(in Chinese). 25 March 1988. 1006:(in Chinese). 27 July 1995. 872:(in Chinese). 27 July 1995. 620:(in Chinese). 2 April 1988. 602:(in Chinese). 4 April 1988. 302:, who was appointed as the 248:. Under Section 302 of the 132:, 49-year-old lorry driver 1124: 1103:Singaporean murder victims 746:(in Chinese). 24 May 1992. 728:(in Chinese). 23 May 1992. 656:(in Chinese). 15 May 1992. 638:(in Chinese). 12 May 1992. 184:Institute of Mental Health 1078:1988 murders in Singapore 692:(in Chinese). 7 May 1992. 668:"罗厘司机遇害 二被告口供承认抢劫死者是有计划的" 524:"Man charged with murder" 328: 340:Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 252:, the death penalty was 138:Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahman 54:25 March 1988 (aged 49) 888:新明日报 (Xin Ming Ri Bao) 870:新明日报 (Xin Ming Ri Bao) 488:"Death for axe killer" 268: 263:12 strokes of the cane 150:12 strokes of the cane 1000:"如此冷血刀匪! 为抢100元夺一条人命" 866:"罗厘司机弃尸武吉知马 3天侦破神秘命案" 209:Judicial Commissioner 128:On 25 March 1988, at 1004:联合晚报 (Lianhe Wanbao) 960:联合早报 (Lianhe Zaobao) 906:联合晚报 (Lianhe Wanbao) 884:"吃过早餐 步上绞刑台 两毒贩今早正法" 852:联合早报 (Lianhe Zaobao) 744:联合早报 (Lianhe Zaobao) 726:联合晚报 (Lianhe Wanbao) 690:联合早报 (Lianhe Zaobao) 672:联合早报 (Lianhe Zaobao) 654:联合早报 (Lianhe Zaobao) 636:联合早报 (Lianhe Zaobao) 618:联合晚报 (Lianhe Wanbao) 600:联合早报 (Lianhe Zaobao) 564:联合晚报 (Lianhe Wanbao) 546:联合早报 (Lianhe Zaobao) 438:联合早报 (Lianhe Zaobao) 420:联合早报 (Lianhe Zaobao) 402:联合晚报 (Lianhe Wanbao) 321:and Judge of Appeal 170:Richard Lim Beng Gee 1088:Caning in Singapore 494:. 7 September 1990. 368:Caning in Singapore 317:, High Court judge 69:Cause of death 44:Straits Settlements 944:. 21 January 1994. 926:. 29 January 1994. 836:. 14 October 1992. 818:. 14 October 1992. 800:. 13 October 1992. 782:. 12 October 1992. 476:. 2 November 1990. 416:"罗厘司机遇害 死者生前曾捉一劫匪" 398:"下巴和颈项都有刀伤 罗厘司机遭杀" 329:Mazlan's execution 246:sentenced to death 146:sentenced to death 1058:The Straits Times 1040:The Straits Times 848:"最高法院裁决 嫌犯没权保持缄默" 834:The Straits Times 816:The Straits Times 798:The Straits Times 780:The Straits Times 762:The Straits Times 740:"谋杀罗厘司机散工罪名成立判死刑" 708:The Straits Times 582:The Straits Times 528:The Straits Times 510:The Straits Times 492:The Straits Times 474:The Straits Times 456:The Straits Times 126: 125: 1115: 1062: 1061: 1050: 1044: 1043: 1032: 1026: 1025: 1014: 1008: 1007: 996: 990: 989: 987: 985: 970: 964: 963: 952: 946: 945: 934: 928: 927: 916: 910: 909: 898: 892: 891: 880: 874: 873: 862: 856: 855: 844: 838: 837: 826: 820: 819: 808: 802: 801: 790: 784: 783: 772: 766: 765: 754: 748: 747: 736: 730: 729: 718: 712: 711: 700: 694: 693: 682: 676: 675: 664: 658: 657: 650:"首被告承认抢劫记不起曾刺死者" 646: 640: 639: 628: 622: 621: 610: 604: 603: 592: 586: 585: 574: 568: 567: 556: 550: 549: 538: 532: 531: 530:. 31 March 1988. 520: 514: 513: 512:. 30 March 1988. 502: 496: 495: 484: 478: 477: 466: 460: 459: 458:. 26 March 1988. 448: 442: 441: 430: 424: 423: 412: 406: 405: 394: 87:Other names 19: 1123: 1122: 1118: 1117: 1116: 1114: 1113: 1112: 1068: 1067: 1066: 1065: 1052: 1051: 1047: 1034: 1033: 1029: 1024:. 10 June 1995. 1016: 1015: 1011: 998: 997: 993: 983: 981: 972: 971: 967: 954: 953: 949: 936: 935: 931: 918: 917: 913: 900: 899: 895: 882: 881: 877: 864: 863: 859: 846: 845: 841: 828: 827: 823: 810: 809: 805: 792: 791: 787: 774: 773: 769: 764:. 11 July 1992. 756: 755: 751: 738: 737: 733: 720: 719: 715: 702: 701: 697: 686:"罗厘司机遇害次被告承认抢劫" 684: 683: 679: 666: 665: 661: 648: 647: 643: 630: 629: 625: 612: 611: 607: 594: 593: 589: 584:. 3 April 1988. 576: 575: 571: 558: 557: 553: 540: 539: 535: 522: 521: 517: 504: 503: 499: 486: 485: 481: 468: 467: 463: 450: 449: 445: 432: 431: 427: 414: 413: 409: 396: 395: 391: 386: 364: 331: 283:Court of Appeal 271: 269:Mazlan's appeal 238:Chao Tzee Cheng 230: 200: 195: 166:Chao Tzee Cheng 158: 64: 55: 46: 37: 35: 34: 24: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1121: 1119: 1111: 1110: 1105: 1100: 1095: 1090: 1085: 1080: 1070: 1069: 1064: 1063: 1060:. 6 June 1995. 1045: 1042:. 26 May 1995. 1027: 1009: 991: 965: 947: 929: 911: 893: 875: 857: 839: 821: 803: 785: 767: 749: 731: 713: 710:. 24 May 1992. 695: 677: 659: 641: 623: 614:"罗厘司机遇害另一嫌凶被控" 605: 596:"一名青年被控谋杀罗厘司机" 587: 569: 551: 533: 515: 497: 479: 461: 443: 425: 407: 388: 387: 385: 382: 381: 380: 375: 370: 363: 360: 351:in June 1995. 330: 327: 287:J B Jeyaretnam 270: 267: 244:of murder and 229: 226: 199: 196: 194: 191: 157: 154: 124: 123: 120: 116: 115: 112: 111:Known for 108: 107: 104: 100: 99: 96: 92: 91: 88: 84: 83: 78: 74: 73: 70: 66: 65: 56: 52: 48: 47: 38: 32: 30: 26: 25: 22: 15: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1120: 1109: 1106: 1104: 1101: 1099: 1096: 1094: 1091: 1089: 1086: 1084: 1081: 1079: 1076: 1075: 1073: 1059: 1055: 1049: 1046: 1041: 1037: 1031: 1028: 1023: 1019: 1013: 1010: 1005: 1001: 995: 992: 979: 975: 969: 966: 961: 957: 951: 948: 943: 942:The New Paper 939: 933: 930: 925: 921: 915: 912: 907: 903: 897: 894: 889: 885: 879: 876: 871: 867: 861: 858: 853: 849: 843: 840: 835: 831: 825: 822: 817: 813: 807: 804: 799: 795: 789: 786: 781: 777: 771: 768: 763: 759: 753: 750: 745: 741: 735: 732: 727: 723: 717: 714: 709: 705: 699: 696: 691: 687: 681: 678: 673: 669: 663: 660: 655: 651: 645: 642: 637: 633: 627: 624: 619: 615: 609: 606: 601: 597: 591: 588: 583: 579: 573: 570: 565: 561: 555: 552: 547: 543: 537: 534: 529: 525: 519: 516: 511: 507: 501: 498: 493: 489: 483: 480: 475: 471: 465: 462: 457: 453: 447: 444: 439: 435: 429: 426: 421: 417: 411: 408: 403: 399: 393: 390: 383: 379: 376: 374: 371: 369: 366: 365: 361: 359: 356: 352: 350: 349: 343: 341: 336: 335:Changi Prison 326: 324: 323:Chao Hick Tin 320: 316: 315:Yong Pung How 313: 312:Chief Justice 308: 305: 301: 300:Choo Han Teck 297: 293: 288: 284: 279: 276: 266: 264: 258: 255: 251: 247: 243: 239: 233: 227: 225: 221: 217: 215: 210: 205: 198:Court hearing 197: 192: 190: 187: 185: 180: 178: 173: 171: 167: 163: 155: 153: 151: 147: 143: 142:Mazlan Maidun 139: 135: 134:Yeu Lam Ching 131: 121: 117: 114:Murder victim 113: 109: 105: 101: 97: 93: 90:Yew Lam Ching 89: 85: 82: 79: 75: 71: 67: 63: 59: 53: 49: 45: 41: 33:Yeu Lam Ching 31: 27: 23:Yeu Lam Ching 20: 1057: 1048: 1039: 1030: 1021: 1012: 1003: 994: 982:. Retrieved 977: 968: 959: 950: 941: 932: 923: 914: 905: 896: 887: 878: 869: 860: 851: 842: 833: 824: 815: 806: 797: 788: 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: 560:"青年被控谋杀罗厘司机" 554: 545: 536: 527: 518: 509: 500: 491: 482: 473: 464: 455: 446: 437: 428: 419: 410: 401: 392: 357: 353: 346: 344: 332: 319:Lai Kew Chai 309: 304:amicus curae 280: 272: 259: 234: 231: 222: 218: 201: 188: 181: 174: 159: 141: 137: 133: 127: 98:Lorry driver 722:"砍死散工抢177元" 214:Bukit Timah 177:Jurong West 162:Bukit Timah 130:Bukit Timah 81:Singaporean 77:Nationality 58:Bukit Timah 1072:Categories 984:29 October 980:. May 1995 956:"两名贩毒死囚正法" 902:"两名毒贩踏上绞台" 542:"青年被控谋杀司机" 384:References 348:Crimewatch 292:Bala Reddy 250:Penal Code 204:High Court 95:Occupation 434:"四小时三起命案" 275:appealing 62:Singapore 40:Singapore 362:See also 254:mandated 119:Children 103:Employer 72:Murdered 978:meWATCH 228:Verdict 242:guilty 156:Murder 986:2023 140:and 51:Died 36:1939 29:Born 1074:: 1056:. 1038:. 1020:. 1002:. 976:. 958:. 940:. 922:. 904:. 886:. 868:. 850:. 832:. 814:. 796:. 778:. 760:. 742:. 724:. 706:. 688:. 670:. 652:. 634:. 616:. 598:. 580:. 562:. 544:. 526:. 508:. 490:. 472:. 454:. 436:. 418:. 400:. 60:, 42:, 988:. 122:4

Index

Singapore
Straits Settlements
Bukit Timah
Singapore
Singaporean
Bukit Timah
sentenced to death
12 strokes of the cane
Bukit Timah
Chao Tzee Cheng
Richard Lim Beng Gee
Jurong West
Institute of Mental Health
High Court
Judicial Commissioner
Bukit Timah
Chao Tzee Cheng
guilty
sentenced to death
Penal Code
mandated
12 strokes of the cane
appealing
Court of Appeal
J B Jeyaretnam
Bala Reddy
National University of Singapore
Choo Han Teck
amicus curae
Chief Justice

Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.