SINGAPORE
Judicial CP - May 1998

The New Paper, Singapore, 7 May 1998

Rob-and-ride scheme that failed

JAILED FOR SEVEN YEARS

IN the Subordinate Courts on Monday, Ng Kok Ping pleaded guilty to two charges of armed robbery, with a third similar charge taken into consideration.

He got a total of seven years' jail and 24 strokes of the cane. (He got 42 months' jail and 12 strokes of the cane for each charge).

He has no known previous convictions.

PENALTY

Robbery committed between 7 am and 7 pm: Jail of between two and 10 years, with at least six strokes of the cane.

Robbery committed between 7 pm and 7 am: Jail for three to 14 years, with at least 12 strokes of the cane.

Robbery at any time with a weapon: At least 12 strokes of the cane on top of other punishments.

BY JILL LIM
HE didn't just rob people in their cars. He also made them give him short rides.
And he did this not once but twice - and on the same day.
But Ng Kok Ping, 27, did not count on a third ride - the ride in the police car that eventually led to jail.
On March 29 at about 2 am, Ng, a storekeeper, saw an insurance agent sitting in his car in Taman Jurong.
Mr Ng Sze Guan, 29, was waiting for his girlfriend.
Ng got into the front passenger seat and pointed a knife at him, demanding money.
He also told him to drive to Tuas.
Mr Ng told Ng that he had no money with him but could withdraw money from an ATM.
He drove around Boon Lay and Jurong looking for an ATM, and finally stopped at a POSB ATM in Jurong. He withdrew $400, which he gave to Ng.
Ng also took his $800 watch, $600 Ericsson handphone and his girlfriend's handbag which had a pair of Gucci sunglasses inside.
He then made Ng drop him off at Boon Lay Way.
Later that same day, he did the same thing to a hawker and his wife.
SECOND STRIKE
At 6 pm, Mr Lim Ah Huat, 53, and his wife, Madam Koo Get Eng, 50, had driven to the carpark of Block 111 Ho Ching Road.
They were going to take pre-arranged transport to Chai Chee Community Centre to join a senior citizens' singing contest.
Ng leaped into the back seat, pointed his knife at Madam Koo and told her to hand over her jewellery and cash.
She gave him her gold bracelet worth about $300, a gold necklace with a jade pendant worth $800, a $70 gold ring and $130 cash.
Ng then told Mr Lim to drive to Tuas.
But Mr Lim pretended he did not know the way, and instead drove to Jurong West Avenue 5.
On the way, Ng made him stop, and ran off.
Mr Lim called the police, described Ng to them and told them that Ng was headed for Block 723 Jurong West.
The police caught Ng at about 7.40 pm and recovered the jade pendant and cash. The other pieces of jewellery were missing.

Straits Times, 17 May 1998

Ex-beau gets jail for dagger attack

A TEENAGER took her boyfriend with her when she went to return a cellular phone to her ex-boyfriend.

But her former beau was jealous, started a quarrel with her and then attacked her boyfriend while they were in a lift. He later charged at her father with a dagger outside the family's flat in Teban Gardens.

Miss Nabsiah Ahmad, 17, met Tomen Boneng, her ex-boyfriend, at the void deck of Block 5, Teban Gardens last Thursday at 10.30 pm.

Tomen, 27, a production operator, was angered when he saw her with technician Azhar Samri, 22, her current boyfriend. Mr Azhar suggested they all go up to her flat to talk it over.

But once inside, Tomen thrust a kris at Mr Azhar, who was cut on the right palm by it when he caught hold of Tomen's hand.

Mr Azhar overpowered Tomen and called for the girl's father, Mr Ahmad Avaru, to help him, when they got to the flat.

But Tomen, still holding the kris, broke free and charged at the 47-year-old parent at the door, which was ajar.

Mr Ahmad dodged him, and later disarmed him and called the police. Yesterday, Tomen, who has been in jail for manslaughter before, was sentenced to five years' jail and 12 strokes of the cane in all.

District Judge Louis D'Souza gave him five years' jail and six strokes of the cane for hurting Mr Azhar, and 2½ years' jail and six strokes for attempting to hurt the girl's father, a civil servant. The jail terms will run concurrently.

Tomen had been sentenced before to 10 years' jail and had received the maximum 24 strokes of the cane for manslaughter.

He could have been jailed for up to five years for attempting to hurt Mr Ahmad.

Speaking to The Sunday Times in her flat yesterday, Miss Nabsiah, who is unemployed, said that they went steady for three years before she broke up with him in February. She would not say why their relationship ended. But her family members said Tomen was "possessive", and was jealous of her going out with Mr Azhar.

Straits Times, Singapore, 29 May 1998

Young robber's appeal rejected

By Lim Li Hsien

A YOUTH who robbed a taxi-driver had his appeal against his sentence of three years' jail and caning dismissed by Chief Justice Yong Pung How yesterday. Lee Keng Lim, 18, together with two accomplices, had robbed Mr Tan Yau Boon at about 2.30 am on Nov 20 last year. The accomplices, Lim Zhigang and Goh Tze Wei, were armed with a chopper and a knife respectively when the three boarded the taxi and robbed Mr Tan of $280.

A taxi vocational licence, a pager, a wrist watch and an identity card were also taken. The three were part of a gang of youths who robbed taxi-drivers between Nov 18 and 20. A total of six people -- Chai Tze Chiat, Lim Zhigang, Mok Bing Weun, Ramsis Lim Tong Lee, Goh Tze Wei and Lee -- were involved.

District Judge Syed Alwee sentenced Lee to three years' jail and 12 strokes of the cane, the minimum sentence for armed robbery at night.

Lim and Goh, both 16, were sentenced to reformative training. Chai, 19, received the heaviest sentence of five years and 12 strokes as he had previous convictions.

Lee, represented by Mr Dennis Singham, had appealed against his sentence on the grounds that it was manifestly excessive.

The lawyer asked that the court consider Lee as a candidate for probation. But the CJ said: "Probation? You must be out of your mind! This is a very serious crime."

Lee had already been given the barest minimum sentence, said the CJ.

Mr Singham argued that his accomplices had received lighter sentences. Lee was a first-time offender and had taken part in only one robbery.

The CJ said the offence was too grave, and he could not create a precedent with this case. "These are very sorry cases, and I am the sorriest of the lot for I have to pass sentence on them."

He added: "I am very sorry for the parents. That is the cruellest part -- the parents suffer."

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