399:
that particular day of
Shankar's death, Shankar accidentally spilled some tea and yet he refused to clean up the mess, and retorted at Kanesan in the face of his demand to clean up. According to Kanesan's statements, he was angered at Shankar for not cleaning up and hence, he turned violent and wanted to kill Shankar. Another reason why Kanesan wanted to murder Shankar was because he had attempted suicide but survived on previous occasions inside the prison, and he therefore killed Shankar, so as to receive a death sentence for Shankar's murder and thus provided himself an easy way to die, and he took the opportunity to commit the crime while Panneerselvan was outside the cell. Kanesan also admitted in one police statement that he wanted to kill Shankar to punish him for having raped a little girl.
403:
Shankar a second time. Afterwards, Kanesan proceeded to clean up the spilt tea, but he was still simmering with rage while doing the task, which drove him to once again strangle
Shankar a third time with the towel. In a final act of fatality, Kanesan spent five minutes to smother Shankar using a blanket. Shortly after Kanesan completed the strangulation, Panneerselvan returned to the call and upon finding Shankar unresponsive, he alerted the prison officers of Shankar's condition, and it was soon after Shankar's death, when Kanesan finally approached a prison officer and confessed that he murdered Shankar, leading to his arrest and subsequent indictment for murder. This was thus the version of events that Kanesan recounted to the police and prison officers.
391:
about 8.25am to receive a visit from his family, leaving
Shankar alone with Kanesan. Panneerselvan said that when he returned at 9am, he noticed Shankar lying on his mat in a prone position, and asked Kanesan why did Shankar slept so early, and Kanesan replied that he did not know and went back to rest, and he acted normally. Panneerselvan, who checked on Shankar, found that he was cold to the touch and was motionless, and he thus quickly called for help. Panneerselvan, together with another man named Rajagopalan Tamilarasan, were both eventually found guilty of drug trafficking and sentenced to death on 4 October 2001; Panneerselvan and Tamilarasan were both hanged on 13 September 2002.
407:
days, went to an abrupt end after three days of hearing. Reportedly, in the courtroom, Kanesan called himself a "stone killer", meaning that he was not feeling sorry or remorseful for murdering
Shankar. The prosecution, in their submissions, urged the trial court to convict Kanesan of murder as they put forward evidence that the death of Shankar and his injuries were consistent with Kanesan's admission to the crime, and describing Shankar's death as a "cold-blooded murder", they called out Kanesan for acting out of proportion by killing Shankar over a trivial matter of spilled tea and condemned his remorseless behaviour towards the death of the 19-year-old victim.
423:. Reacting with distraught to her brother's death sentence, Kanesan's 34-year-old sister told the press that she, Kanesan and one brother were orphaned after losing their parents at a young age, and they also went astray and stayed at juvenile homes as a result, and she lamented that her brother would not have been in this plight had their parents were still alive, although the sister noted that Kanesan did not have any behavioural or temper issues and never expected him to kill Shankar in a fit of anger as per his admission to the sister.
395:
neck with a possible arm lock. Dr Lau also said that the cause of death was due to asphyxia caused by strangulation. Dr G. Sathyadevan, a government psychiatrist, stated that
Kanesan did not suffer from any unsoundness of mind and was mentally fit to stand trial, in spite of his anti-social and suicidal tendencies and history of depression.
184:
Norkhalim Dalil, the prison medical officer, attempted to resuscitate the victim, but the victim was unresponsive and his pulse did not return. Paramedics, led by
Lelawaty binte Abdullah, also arrived at the scene to tend to the victim, who similarly did not respond to resuscitation efforts, and he was subsequently taken to
394:
Another prosecution witness was Dr
Gilbert Lau, the forensic pathologist who examined Shankar's body. Dr Lau testified in court that based on his autopsy findings, Shankar's cricoid cartilage was fractured and consistent with a compressive injury, which was caused by considerable force applied to the
410:
On that same day itself, Judicial
Commissioner Choo Han Teck delivered his verdict. In his judgement, Judicial Commissioner Choo found that the prosecution had proven its case against Kanesan beyond a reasonable doubt, and determined that Kanesan intentionally strangling him using an arm lock, which
406:
On 27 February 2002, the third day of his murder trial, Kanesan opted to not enter his defence and remained silent. He also instructed his lawyer to not make any representations. With the prosecution's case unrebutted and
Kanesan's decision to remain silent, the trial, originally slated to last five
390:
One of the prosecution's first witnesses was
Panneerselvan Lallayah, a remand inmate who shared the same cell as Shankar and Kanesan. Panneerselvan, who was then held in remand for capital drug trafficking, testified in court that on the morning of 10 August 2001, he was escorted out of the cell at
199:
On 15 August 2001, it was reported that one of Shankar's cellmates was arrested on suspicion of killing Shankar. At that time, the cellmate was held in remand for another case of rape, and he was arrested on 18 June 2001 for that particular crime (for which no details of the case were made public).
398:
The prosecution also adduced Kanesan's confession as evidence to substantiate their case. In his confession, Kanesan stated that he spent three months sharing the same cell as Shankar, and during that time, he and Shankar argued on several occasions over the hygiene issues of their remand cell. On
191:
The detainee, identified as 19-year-old Shankar Suppiahmaniam, was pronounced dead at 10.19am, after Dr Soh Poh Choong and Dr Pauline Neow tried to revive him to no avail. At the time of his death, Shankar was held in remand for the abduction and rape of a nine-year-old girl on 10 October 2000 and
402:
Through his statements, Kanesan recounted that after the spilled tea incident, Kanesan attacked Shankar while his back was facing him, and he did an arm lock on Shankar's neck, and it took about five minutes before Shankar became motionless. Kanesan later grabbed a towel and used it to strangle
183:
On 10 August 2001, at Singapore's Queenstown Remand Prison, prison authorities were alerted by a detainee that one of his cellmates was lying motionless and his body had turned cold. The officers tended to the detainee's cellmate, who was said to be not breathing but had a weak heartbeat. Dr
167:, a detainee who was charged with raping two young girls, was found dead inside his remand cell. Shankar, who was pronounced dead in a hospital, was found to have been killed by one of his cellmates, who was also charged with rape in a separate case. The inmate,
42:
411:
directly caused Shankar's death as a consequence. Judicial Commissioner Choo also referred to Dr Sathyadevan's report, and accepted that Kanesan was not of unsound mind when he committed the murder, even though Kanesan did not raise a defence of
200:
On that same day, the cellmate, 35-year-old Kanesan Ratnam, was charged in court with murder. A 1989 newspaper article revealed that prior to the murder of Shankar Suppiahmaniam, Kanesan was previously sentenced to seven years' imprisonment and
415:
against the murder charge. He noted that Kanesan chose to remain silent, which also closed any other possible avenues of defence which Kanesan could partake to rebut the murder charge, and he drew an adverse inference as bound by the law.
196:, among which the charges also involved another young girl (whom he lured after allegedly posing as a policeman). Due to the fact that Shankar died before he could be brought to trial, the prosecution abated the rape charges against him.
224:
171:, confessed to the police that he strangled Shankar due to their arguments over hygiene issues inside their shared cell and his wish to die in the gallows after some suicide attempts. Kanesan was found guilty of murdering Shankar and
442:
In the aftermath, a total of 19 people were executed in Singapore during the year of 2003. Out of these 19 people, five (including Kanesan) were put to death for murder. Kanesan was one of the few people (also including murderers
376:
for one count of murdering Shankar Suppiahmaniam. Kanesan was represented by defence lawyer Shashi Nathan, while the prosecution was led by Amarjit Singh. The trial was presided over by
1162:
192:
was supposed to appear in court for trial on 13 August 2001. Shankar, then 18, was arrested for the case on 7 January 2001 and in total, he faced a total of nine counts of rape and
435:
and never challenged his sentence or conviction, and hence his death sentence was finalized. On the Friday morning of 10 January 2003, 37-year-old Kanesan Ratnam was hanged in
1182:
1177:
1167:
1152:
1172:
1157:
1187:
1147:
1192:
451:) to be convicted and given the death penalty for capital charges after they chose to remain silent and not put up their defence.
463:
384:
359:
172:
726:
454:
Queenstown Remand Prison, where Shankar Suppiahmaniam was murdered, was eventually demolished in 2010 and went defunct since.
1142:
891:
744:
998:
807:
648:
412:
373:
377:
175:
after a three-day trial in February 2002. Kanesan did not appeal, and he was hanged on 10 January 2003.
85:
281:
354:
201:
387:
as the sole punishment for murder, Kanesan potentially faced the gallows if convicted of murder.
185:
81:
419:
Therefore, 36-year-old Kanesan Ratnam was found guilty of murder, and sentenced to death by
46:
2001 police mugshot of Shankar Suppiahmaniam, who was accused of rape prior to his murder
41:
1136:
444:
436:
380:
266:
841:"Public Prosecutor v Rajagopalan Tamilarasan and Another [2001] SGHC 296"
840:
448:
965:
859:"Rajagopalan Tamilarasan and Another v Public Prosecutor [2002] SGCA 9"
858:
309:
123:
17:
270:
249:
223:
160:
67:
193:
138:
420:
1031:"I am a stone killer He means he is not sorry for murdering inmate".
432:
27:
2001 murder of a detainee at Queenstown Remand Prison, Singapore
966:"Public Prosecutor v Kanesan S/O Ratnam [2002] SGHC 42"
892:"Public Prosecutor v Kanesan S/O Ratnam [2002] SGHC 42"
431:
After he was sentenced to hang, Kanesan waived his right to an
260:
228:
Kanesan Ratnam, who was found guilty of murdering Shankar
372:
On 25 February 2002, Kanesan Ratnam stood trial at the
349:
329:
307:
295:
287:
277:
256:
233:
214:
145:
133:
121:
109:
101:
93:
74:
51:
32:
159:On 10 August 2001, at Queenstown Remand Prison in
666:"Banduan disyaki berkaitan kes kematian di jel".
808:"Killed for not keeping his prison cell clean?"
876:"Victim was strangled, choked and smothered".
1163:Singaporean people who died in prison custody
745:"Man gets jail and cane for penknife robbery"
8:
983:"Detainee gets death for killing cellmate".
603:"Teen on rape charge found dead in jail".
222:
211:
40:
29:
558:"Youth charged with raping 9-year-old".
1106:"End of the line for Queenstown jail".
1061:"Fewer criminals sent to the gallows".
475:
1183:Singaporean people convicted of murder
513:"Sex-charge teen found dead in cell".
204:for robbing two people on knifepoint.
1046:"Inmate Hanged for Killing Another".
588:"VICTIM HAP BEEN CHARGED WITH RAPE".
528:"Remaja ditemui mati dalam penjara".
7:
1178:Deaths by strangulation in Singapore
1168:21st-century executions by Singapore
383:. As Singaporean law mandated the
25:
483:"Dead teen's cellmate arrested".
681:"Cellmate charged with murder".
1153:Capital punishment in Singapore
1020:(in Chinese). 28 February 2002.
954:(in Chinese). 27 February 2002.
796:(in Chinese). 26 February 2002.
781:(in Chinese). 25 February 2002.
766:(in Chinese). 25 February 2002.
464:Capital punishment in Singapore
633:"Cellmate of dead teen held".
502:(in Chinese). 11 January 2003.
353:Seven years' imprisonment and
1:
1173:Prisoners murdered in custody
1080:(in Chinese). 30 August 2005.
950:"不满死者把茶溅地上拒打扫 狱中勒死同囚强奸犯判死刑".
715:(in Chinese). 15 August 2001.
700:(in Chinese). 15 August 2001.
622:(in Chinese). 13 August 2001.
547:(in Chinese). 13 August 2001.
241:
59:
1158:Violence against men in Asia
1121:"Queenstown Remand Prison".
1095:(in Chinese). 22 July 2005.
670:(in Malay). 15 August 2001.
532:(in Malay). 14 August 2001.
1209:
1188:Singaporean murder victims
1148:2001 murders in Singapore
762:"强奸嫌犯 牢中被杀死 另一强奸嫌犯今天受审".
413:diminished responsibility
366:
303:
221:
179:Murder and investigations
153:
117:
56:Shankar s/o Suppiahmaniam
39:
1193:People charged with rape
970:Supreme Court Judgements
863:Supreme Court Judgements
845:Supreme Court Judgements
649:"Prison inmate arrested"
360:Mandatory death sentence
113:One sister and one uncle
78:10 August 2001 (aged 19)
727:"Jail, cane for robber"
208:Trial of Kanesan Ratnam
188:for further treatment.
764:新明日报 (Xin Ming Ri Bao)
545:新明日报 (Xin Ming Ri Bao)
355:24 strokes of the cane
202:24 strokes of the cane
1091:"本地过去15年 也有死囚选择不抗辩".
618:"强奸案嫌犯离奇死 控方终止提控程序".
378:Judicial Commissioner
165:Shankar Suppiahmaniam
34:Shankar Suppiahmaniam
1018:联合早报 (Lianhe Zaobao)
999:"Did he wish death?"
952:联合晚报 (Lianhe Wanbao)
829:. 27 September 2002.
794:联合早报 (Lianhe Zaobao)
779:联合晚报 (Lianhe Wanbao)
777:"强奸嫌犯狱中被杀案件今天高庭开审".
713:联合早报 (Lianhe Zaobao)
698:联合晚报 (Lianhe Wanbao)
620:联合晚报 (Lianhe Wanbao)
573:"9-year-old raped".
500:联合早报 (Lianhe Zaobao)
337:Robbery (two counts)
319:Robbery (two counts)
282:Execution by hanging
1143:Murder in Singapore
1035:. 28 February 2002.
1005:. 28 February 2002.
987:. 28 February 2002.
972:. 28 February 2002.
939:. 28 February 2002.
924:. 28 February 2002.
899:Singapore Law Watch
880:. 28 February 2002.
865:. 18 February 2002.
814:. 26 February 2002.
733:. 10 February 1989.
592:. 28 February 2002.
278:Cause of death
1125:. 23 January 2010.
1050:. 11 January 2003.
1016:"谋杀同囚不答辩男子罪成判死刑".
901:. 28 February 2002
751:. 9 February 1989.
696:"印族男子被控·谋杀同牢拘留犯".
543:"涉嫌强奸 两女童 嫌犯死狱中".
345:Murder (one count)
325:Murder (one count)
238:Kanesan s/o Ratnam
186:Alexandra Hospital
173:sentenced to death
82:Alexandra Hospital
1123:The Straits Times
1108:The Straits Times
1063:The Straits Times
1048:The Straits Times
985:The Straits Times
935:"OR 'JUSTICE'?".
920:"Was it Anger?".
847:. 4 October 2001.
827:The Straits Times
731:The Straits Times
711:"印族男子被控打死同牢拘留者".
685:. 16 August 2001.
683:The Straits Times
655:. 15 August 2001.
637:. 15 August 2001.
635:The Straits Times
607:. 14 August 2001.
605:The Straits Times
577:. 7 January 2001.
562:. 7 January 2001.
560:The Straits Times
517:. 14 August 2001.
487:. 15 August 2001.
370:
369:
157:
156:
105:Died before trial
16:(Redirected from
1200:
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1126:
1118:
1112:
1111:
1110:. 2 August 2009.
1103:
1097:
1096:
1088:
1082:
1081:
1076:"4被告不抗辩 最终判死刑".
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822:
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792:"涉嫌杀死同囚囚犯被控谋杀".
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343:Rape (one count)
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1078:Xin Ming Ri Bao
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1065:. 1 March 2012.
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261:10 January 2003
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134:Criminal charge
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102:Criminal status
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263:(aged 37)
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237:
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231:
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216:Kanesan Ratnam
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169:Kanesan Ratnam
163:, 19-year-old
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94:Known for
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66:
55:
53:
49:
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37:
36:
33:
26:
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18:Kanesan Ratnam
14:
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10:
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3:
2:
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1093:Lianhe Wanbao
1087:
1084:
1079:
1072:
1069:
1064:
1057:
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1049:
1042:
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1034:
1033:The New Paper
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986:
979:
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937:The New Paper
931:
928:
923:
922:The New Paper
916:
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878:The New Paper
872:
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828:
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749:The New Paper
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719:
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669:
668:Berita Harian
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654:
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629:
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621:
614:
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590:The New Paper
584:
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575:The New Paper
569:
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530:Berita Harian
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445:Took Leng How
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437:Changi Prison
434:
426:
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385:death penalty
382:
381:Choo Han Teck
379:
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310:Conviction(s)
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267:Changi Prison
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141:(nine counts)
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124:Conviction(s)
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905:21 February
449:Oh Laye Koh
245: 1966
88:, Singapore
63: 1982
1137:Categories
470:References
374:High Court
291:Unemployed
288:Occupation
97:His murder
86:Queenstown
427:Execution
271:Singapore
250:Singapore
161:Singapore
137:Rape and
110:Relatives
68:Singapore
458:See also
299:Executed
194:oral sex
139:oral sex
515:Streats
485:Streats
421:hanging
350:Penalty
146:Penalty
433:appeal
362:(2002)
357:(1989)
1003:TODAY
895:(PDF)
812:TODAY
653:TODAY
907:2024
447:and
340:2001
334:1989
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316:1989
257:Died
234:Born
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75:Died
52:Born
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