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Let's see AWARE tackle this
- Thread starter LITTLEREDDOT
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S'pore start-up Zilingo fires CEO Ankiti Bose, reserves right to pursue legal action
Ms Ankiti Bose said her employment was terminated on grounds of "insubordination", while Zilingo said the ouster followed a probe into complaints of serious financial irregularities. PHOTO: ZILINGO
Choo Yun Ting
Business Correspondent
May 20, 2022
SINGAPORE - E-commerce platform Zilingo has terminated its chief executive Ankiti Bose, also the co-founder of the firm, following an investigation into complaints of serious financial irregularities.
In a statement on Friday (May 20), the Singapore-based firm said it decided to terminate Ms Bose’s employment “with cause” and that it reserves the right to pursue appropriate legal action.
The start-up, which counts Sequoia Capital India, Singapore state investor Temasek, and the Economic Development Board’s investment arm EDBI among its investors, had earlier suspended Ms Bose on March 31.
In its statement, Zilingo said that Ms Bose brought “certain harassment-related issues pertaining to past time periods” to the attention of the firm’s board on April 11.
These issues did not include any harassment complaints against investors or their nominees, it added, noting that a top consulting firm had been engaged to look into the claims brought forth.
“The investigation has concluded that the company took appropriate action and followed due process to address these complaints that were brought to their notice, contrary to media reports that have suggested that the suspension and investigation into Ankiti Bose were aimed at suppressing the said harassment claims,” Zilingo said.
Bloomberg News reported that Ms Bose said in a separate statement that her employment was terminated on grounds of insubordination, after being suspended on the basis of an “anonymous whistle-blower complaint”.
In its statement, Zilingo said: “The company is deeply pained and disappointed to see the manner in which the board, investors and employees have been constantly attacked through ostensibly leaked and fake information, along with what unfortunately appears to be paid and defamatory social media campaigns throughout the investigation period.”
This has cause irreparable damage to the start-up, board, staff and backers, it added.
The company noted that following the recall of loans by debt holders, an independent financial adviser was appointed and is in the midst of assessing options for the business.
More information will be provided in due course, it said.
Ms Bose had earlier been suspended from her duties while the start-up’s accounting practices were investigated. Regulatory checks show that Zilingo’s last financial statement was filed in 2019.
Ms Bose, who co-founded the company with Mr Dhruv Kapoor in 2015, has disputed claims of wrongdoing.
Commenting on corporate governance issues that start-ups face, NUS Business School’s Professor Mak Yuen Teen noted that such issues are not uncommon. Start-ups here and elsewhere have faced the likes of toxic culture, product fraud, financial irregularities and conflict of interest, he noted.
“Founders are by their nature entrepreneurial and risk takers, and may push the boundaries. They are also often charismatic and able to convince people to buy into their vision,” he said.
Prof Mak added that with problems emerging in start-ups, investors may be more careful about due diligence before investing and may demand better corporate governance, and start-ups that are not prepared for these may find it harder to attract investors.
Start-ups need to ensure that they have at least the basic corporate governance in place, he said.
This includes measures such as having accounts audited by a respectable audit firm on a timely basis, having proper internal controls for key business operations, having an internal audit of the key risk areas, and having a properly constituted board with some independent members.
Singapore Institute of Directors vice-chairman Adrian Chan said that while he does not believe confidence in the boards or founders of start-ups has necessarily been shaken by Zilingo’s situation, there are lessons to be learnt from this case and the issues that have surfaced.
Mr Chan, who also serves on the Enterprise Board of the SMU Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, noted that start-up boards and founders should be trained and equipped with the necessary governance skills and knowledge to run their businesses effectively.
“Paying heed to corporate governance makes good business sense and should not be viewed as a burden. And if boards fail to recognise this early on, they may find themselves paying a higher price later on,” he said.
Having a vagina makes the person a better parent by default?
Forum: Root for best leaders, regardless of gender
6 Feb 2023I am bemused by Insight editor Lin Suling’s column, “Jacinda Ardern – We could use more women leaders like her” (Jan 20).
While she rightfully calls the former New Zealand prime minister brave, empathetic and astute, it is questionable that these attributes abide solely in women leaders. Are we not perpetuating biologically deterministic theories about the sexes by linking character traits with gender?
Ms Lin’s admittedly “short account of female political power” praised women leaders for being inspirational, selfless, sincere communicators, action-oriented, empathetic, practical and inclusive. However, in my 30 years of working life, I have come across women leaders who do not exemplify these qualities. While we decry historically male-dominated gender biases, has the pendulum now swung the other way?
If so, we should then move away from the outmoded belief that stellar leadership qualities are the sole preserve of a single gender.
We would perhaps do better to root for the best leaders, regardless of gender, who possess desirable qualities.
We could instead strive for diversity in leadership, rather than reinforce the trope that different genders are programmed differently. Which gender makes better leaders is a plain red herring.
Amos Wu Pom Hin
Woman sues ex-boyfriend for alleged rape; judge says she tampered with evidence
Ms Yang Nan had tampered with the WeChat exchanges by deleting her side of the conversation and showing only the man’s messages. ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG
Selina Lum
Senior Law Correspondent
Feb 25, 2023
SINGAPORE - A woman claimed her former boyfriend had raped her, and presented numerous text messages as court exhibits to support her allegation that he had been harassing her as well.
But it turned out that Ms Yang Nan had tampered with the WeChat exchanges by deleting her side of the conversation and showing only the man’s messages.
This gave the false impression that Mr Li Shukai was sending multiple unwanted messages relentlessly.
The lawsuit was dismissed by a district judge, who found that Ms Yang had failed to prove her claim for damages.
“Not only was there an absence of any objective direct evidence of the alleged rape, the contemporaneous evidence contradicted the plaintiff’s explanation for what happened,” said Judge Allen Ng in a judgment published on Friday.
The judge also said Ms Yang had damaged her own credibility by tampering with evidence.
Ms Yang has filed an appeal against the decision.
Mr Li and Ms Yang met on Feb 14, 2018. They started texting each other on WeChat and had sex on Feb 27.
He said the encounter was consensual, but she said he raped her. Ms Yang claimed the incident caused her to suffer post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
But they continued to text each other and meet after the incident. He said it was because they were a couple, but she said it was because he threatened her.
On the evening of March 10, 2018 the pair went to Mr Li’s flat.
She alleged that he confined her until the afternoon of March 11 and assaulted, raped and injured her.
He said they had consensual sex and she voluntarily stayed the night. The pair continued to exchange messages and meet, but broke up in April 2018.
On May 2, 2018, Ms Yang lodged a police report saying she suspected that Mr Li was harassing her.
A day later, she made another report stating that her ex-boyfriend had sexually assaulted her.
Mr Li was investigated by the police, and no further action was taken.
He said Ms Yang sent him harassing messages, published defamatory posts and vandalised the walls outside his flat.
On Aug 19, 2020, Ms Yang sued Mr Li over several alleged incidents of rape.
Mr Li partly succeeded in striking out her claim, and the trial was limited to the March 10 incident for which she sued for assault, battery and false imprisonment.
Ms Yang asserted that Mr Li had twisted her wrist, ripped off her clothes and bit her breast.
She submitted a photograph of a foot which she said was scarred as a result of the incident, as well as a medical report which stated that she had a vaginal infection.
Judge Ng said the report did not prove she was raped.
The judge said the messages exchanged between the pair contradicted Ms Yang’s claim that she was a victim who was agreeing to an aggressor’s demands out of fear.
The messages immediately after the alleged rape also did not indicate she was in fear – the pair had exchanged affectionate emojis on the night of March 11.
Ms Yang submitted 30 pages of messages which gave the impression that she was ignoring Mr Li.
When Mr Li’s lawyer Riyach Hussain confronted Ms Yang with the full exchange from his client, she admitted she had deleted her own messages.
She said she deleted them “so that the conversation will appear to be more complete” and because she wanted “all the conversation to be reflected in this screenshot”.
False/unsubstantiated accusation by a female against a male.
Causing reputational damage, emotional distress, and loss of job for the accused.
What has AWARE got to say about such damaging and wrong accusations?
Veteran track and field coach Loh Siang Piow was sentenced to 21 months’ jail in July 2020, after a trial that began in 2018. PHOTO: ST FILE
Selina Lum
Senior Law Correspondent
Mar 30, 2023
SINGAPORE - The High Court on Thursday acquitted veteran track and field coach Loh Siang Piow of molesting a teenage athlete in 2013, following his appeal against his conviction and sentence.
Mr Loh, 78, better known in the fraternity as Loh Chan Pew, was sentenced to 21 months’ jail in July 2020, after a trial that began in 2018.
He was convicted by a district judge of two counts of molesting a female athlete when she was 18 by rubbing her genitals on two occasions while massaging the back of her thighs.
The incidents allegedly took place at the old Tampines Stadium on Feb 24 and March 15 in 2013.
She lodged a police report against Mr Loh on July 30, 2016.
On Thursday, more than a dozen family members and former trainees in the public gallery sighed with relief after Justice Hoo Sheau Peng cleared him of both charges.
In acquitting Mr Loh, Justice Hoo said there were “inherent weaknesses” in the testimony of his accuser, identified as Ms C, and that it was “plainly wrong” for the trial judge to rely on her evidence to convict Mr Loh.
Justice Hoo said that not only did the accuser’s account lack specific details on the training session on Feb 24, 2013, but it also contains a crucial concession that she did not know if Mr Loh’s contact with her genital area was an “accidental part of the massage”.
“In fact, Ms C was not entirely clear where she was touched,” said the judge.
The accuser also claimed to have expressed discomfort to her parents over being touched, which was why her father accompanied her for a third session. But this account was not supported by either parent.
Justice Hoo also said Mr Loh had raised reasonable doubt that he was not at the Tampines Stadium on March 15, 2013.
She said: “The District Judge tended to resolve all doubts, discrepancies and contradictions in favour of the prosecution. In the final analysis, the serious doubts as to the veracity of Ms C’s allegations cannot be dismissed.”
The judge also noted that at the time of the alleged offences, it was a prevalent practice in the athletic community for coaches to give trainees massages after intensive training.
“If the practice remains today, the community, including the coaches, should rethink and review the appropriateness of such a practice,” she said.
Should this continue to be a necessary practice, there should be proper safeguards adopted to minimise the potential for any abuse of the trainees by the coaches, or to prevent genuine misunderstandings between coaches and trainees, she said.
Approached for comment after the verdict, Mr Loh said in Mandarin that he was “feeling emotional”.
Charges relating to a second female athlete, who was 16 at the time of the alleged offences, have been stood down.
Causing reputational damage, emotional distress, and loss of job for the accused.
What has AWARE got to say about such damaging and wrong accusations?
Veteran coach acquitted of molesting teen athlete after appeal to High Court
Veteran track and field coach Loh Siang Piow was sentenced to 21 months’ jail in July 2020, after a trial that began in 2018. PHOTO: ST FILE
Selina Lum
Senior Law Correspondent
Mar 30, 2023
SINGAPORE - The High Court on Thursday acquitted veteran track and field coach Loh Siang Piow of molesting a teenage athlete in 2013, following his appeal against his conviction and sentence.
Mr Loh, 78, better known in the fraternity as Loh Chan Pew, was sentenced to 21 months’ jail in July 2020, after a trial that began in 2018.
He was convicted by a district judge of two counts of molesting a female athlete when she was 18 by rubbing her genitals on two occasions while massaging the back of her thighs.
The incidents allegedly took place at the old Tampines Stadium on Feb 24 and March 15 in 2013.
She lodged a police report against Mr Loh on July 30, 2016.
On Thursday, more than a dozen family members and former trainees in the public gallery sighed with relief after Justice Hoo Sheau Peng cleared him of both charges.
In acquitting Mr Loh, Justice Hoo said there were “inherent weaknesses” in the testimony of his accuser, identified as Ms C, and that it was “plainly wrong” for the trial judge to rely on her evidence to convict Mr Loh.
Justice Hoo said that not only did the accuser’s account lack specific details on the training session on Feb 24, 2013, but it also contains a crucial concession that she did not know if Mr Loh’s contact with her genital area was an “accidental part of the massage”.
“In fact, Ms C was not entirely clear where she was touched,” said the judge.
The accuser also claimed to have expressed discomfort to her parents over being touched, which was why her father accompanied her for a third session. But this account was not supported by either parent.
Justice Hoo also said Mr Loh had raised reasonable doubt that he was not at the Tampines Stadium on March 15, 2013.
She said: “The District Judge tended to resolve all doubts, discrepancies and contradictions in favour of the prosecution. In the final analysis, the serious doubts as to the veracity of Ms C’s allegations cannot be dismissed.”
The judge also noted that at the time of the alleged offences, it was a prevalent practice in the athletic community for coaches to give trainees massages after intensive training.
“If the practice remains today, the community, including the coaches, should rethink and review the appropriateness of such a practice,” she said.
Should this continue to be a necessary practice, there should be proper safeguards adopted to minimise the potential for any abuse of the trainees by the coaches, or to prevent genuine misunderstandings between coaches and trainees, she said.
Approached for comment after the verdict, Mr Loh said in Mandarin that he was “feeling emotional”.
Charges relating to a second female athlete, who was 16 at the time of the alleged offences, have been stood down.
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Forum: Gender bias hindering brother’s job search
Apr 19, 2023Recently, my elder brother applied to be a bus attendant at a private school bus transport company. The job basically entails ensuring the safety of the children on board by making sure they stay seated and fasten their seatbelts, and guiding them when they board and alight from the bus.
To his surprise, he was told by the company that only women were eligible for the job. The reason given was that parents were more comfortable with women interacting with their children.
My brother also responded to an advertisement for staff in a doctor’s clinic, and was told female applicants were preferred. The same happened when he responded to an ad for bookshop assistants.
Such gender discrimination in hiring should not be allowed. Job-seekers should be assessed solely on their level of competence to do the job.
Teo Kok Seah
Veteran coach cleared of all molestation charges
Mr Loh Siang Piow was granted a discharge amounting to an acquittal by the court. PHOTO: ST FILE
Selina Lum
Senior Law Correspondent
Apr 25, 2023
SINGAPORE - Veteran track and field coach Loh Siang Piow, who was accused of molesting two teenage athletes, has been cleared of all the charges brought against him.
In March, the 78-year-old, better known in the fraternity as Loh Chan Pew, was acquitted of molesting an 18-year-old in 2013 after he appealed to the High Court against his conviction and sentence of 21 months’ jail.
On Tuesday, the prosecution applied to withdraw the remaining charges against him relating to a second accuser, who was 16 at the time of the alleged offences between 2011 and 2012.
As a result, Mr Loh was granted a discharge amounting to an acquittal by the court on the three charges.
The two women had lodged a police report against him on July 30, 2016.
A statement on Tuesday from Mr Loh’s legal team – Senior Counsel Tan Chee Meng, Mr Paul Loy and Mr Calvin Ong – said he would like to thank everyone who believed and stood by him.
“The past seven or so years have been a traumatic experience for Mr Loh,” said the statement.
“The allegations against him not only severely affected his standing personally and professionally, but more sadly deprived him of the one thing that he loves most – to train and motivate our young athletes to achieve their best in national and international competitive settings.”
Mr Loh went on trial in 2018 on two charges relating to the 18-year-old, who accused him of rubbing her genitals on two occasions while massaging the back of her thighs.
The incidents allegedly took place at the old Tampines Stadium on Feb 24 and March 15 in 2013.
He was found guilty at the end of the trial and sentenced in July 2020.
In June 2021, Mr Loh applied to present fresh evidence from Ms Amelia Monteiro, a former athlete who was with him on July 31, 2016, when a police officer called him regarding the accusations.
The new evidence failed to affect the district judge’s verdict.
In March, in overturning the guilty verdict, Justice Hoo Sheau Peng said there were “inherent weaknesses” in the testimony of the accuser, identified as Ms C, and that it was “plainly wrong” for the district judge to rely on her evidence to convict Mr Loh.
Justice Hoo noted that Ms C’s account of the first incident lacked specific details on the training session and that she was not entirely clear where she was touched.
Ms C said her father accompanied her to a training session after she expressed discomfort with Mr Loh’s massages. But this account was not supported by either parent.
The judge said Ms C exaggerated aspects of the events and embellished her account to present a more persuasive case against Mr Loh.
However, Justice Hoo said she did not think Ms C had any malicious intention to frame Mr Loh.
She noted that Ms C had read a news report about a coach being accused of molestation and, thinking that the offender could be Mr Loh, decided to lodge a police report. However, it transpired that the news report concerned a different coach.
The judge said she could not discount the possibility that there was a build-up of mistrust towards Mr Loh over the years. “Precipitated by the newspaper report, and coupled with her strong sentiments against sexual offenders, the complaint was eventually made in 2016,” said Justice Hoo.
With AWARE agents like this bitch infesting the judiciary, don't expect any real justice for the maligned men.
Hoo scores a first for female judges
https://www.asiaone.com/singapore/hoo-scores-first-female-judges
Can sue the judge for discrimination?With AWARE agents like this bitch infesting the judiciary, don't expect any real justice for the maligned men.
Hoo scores a first for female judges
https://www.asiaone.com/singapore/hoo-scores-first-female-judges
Mum who fled Singapore with daughter, 9, before custody hearing faces arrest
The warrant of arrest caps a protracted battle over issues such as division of assets and access. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: PIXABAY
Theresa Tan
Senior Social Affairs Correspondent
August 3, 2023
SINGAPORE - A warrant of arrest has been issued against a woman who fled Singapore with her nine-year-old daughter before a custody hearing.
This comes after the 48-year-old mother repeatedly flouted court orders, such as those giving the father time to spend with the child after the divorce and to take the child to see the High Court judge, who wanted to interview her.
In a judgment released on July 25, Justice Choo Han Teck said the mother remains “a fugitive of her own volition”.
The judge noted that the woman has not returned to Singapore since the warrant of arrest was issued in May. He said that if the woman applies to rescind the warrant of arrest, it is likely that it would be granted if she provides an undertaking that she will return to Singapore and take the child to the court.
The warrant of arrest caps a protracted battle over issues such as division of assets and access. Access orders are court orders that give the parent who does not live with the child time to spend with the child post-divorce.
The Singaporean woman, whose current employment status is unknown, wed an American doctor in 2013. They lived in the United States after their marriage and have one daughter. After their marriage soured, she brought her child back to Singapore in 2018 and started divorce proceedings.
Initially, then Judicial Commissioner Tan Puay Boon gave joint custody of the child to both parents, and care and control to the mother. The parent who has care and control lives with the child, and makes decisions on the child’s daily needs.
The terms of the father’s access include video calls three times a week with the child, and three weeks of access during the child’s summer holiday – alternating between when the father will come to Singapore to spend time with her, and when the child will spend time with her father in the United States.
However, the father alleged that the mother was not cooperative, and among other things, she would hang up when he called or pressure the girl to hang up on her father.
Justice Choo wrote: “He said that the mother’s conduct amounted to parental alienation, which had caused the video access arrangements to ‘deteriorate to the point where the child doesn’t talk at all any more’.”
The man had told the judge his ex-wife had turned off the microphone and speaker so that both father and daughter could not hear each other. She even covered the child’s face so that the father could not see her.
When the dispute between both parties continued to worsen, the father applied to the court to vary the access orders.
Justice Choo ordered the mother to take the child to the United States for two weeks from Christmas Eve in 2022 to visit the father. He also asked to interview the child in February.
The woman breached both orders. In fact, she did not take the child to see the judge on both occasions when he asked to interview the girl.
The father applied for another round of committal proceedings, which is to penalise the mother for not complying with a court order, as she had failed to take the girl to visit him in the US.
A few days before the May 8 court hearing to hear the father’s applications to start committal proceedings against the mother and for custody matters, she sent the father an e-mail suggesting she had taken the child to France.
She also e-mailed the Registry of the Family Justice Courts and the father to say that they were unable to return to Singapore as the child was unwell, without providing a medical certificate or indicating the illness.
On May 8, the judge issued a warrant of arrest against the mother for failing to attend court, and he adjourned the hearing date to May 12. The mother was still absent from court on the adjourned date, and she claimed the child was still unwell.
Justice Choo, who described the mother as defiant, said: “The judge is not pampering his own ego by punishing the offender. He is upholding the honour of the office and maintaining respect not so much to him but that office.
“I was thus left with no alternative but to order a warrant for the mother’s arrest,” he said.
The judge also asked the Child Protective Service (CPS) under the Ministry of Social and Family Development to take the child into custody, as an interim arrangement, when she returned to Singapore.
This was because the woman would be arrested when she returned to Singapore. The judge ordered the CPS to care for the child in the interim period.
In July, both the man and the woman appeared for a video hearing via Zoom. The woman refused to reveal her location, claiming that there was a warrant of arrest against her.
The man applied to the courts to have the child live with him, instead of her mother, and for sole custody of the child. The judge granted him those orders.
Justice Choo said: “I trust that having the experience he had, the father will comply with the terms of access for the mother now that the roles are reversed. But first, mother and child have to be located.”
Lawyer Gloria James-Civetta, who is the man’s lawyer, explained that in such situations, unless the man is able to locate his ex-wife and daughter in a country that recognises and gives effect to Singapore’s court order, he is likely to have to wait until the woman returns to Singapore on her own volition for the Singapore court orders to take effect.
Quotes:
He also said his major depressive disorder was exacerbated by his wife’s expectations of the boys - that they would behave like normal children. She set out these unrealistic expectations by physical punishments and scoldings, he said in the letter.
Xavier Yap...also said that his condition was further aggravated when he learnt that his wife was cheating on him.
Xavier Yap...also claimed in his letter that his wife was “not even saddened by the demise of her two sons, as she started inviting her lover to stay at (their) house”.
“As a mother, she even threw away her two sons’ belongings. She has crossed the boundary that I could no longer tolerate,” he added in the letter.
Xavier Yap Jung Houn believed that killing his sons would take away his wife’s burdens. PHOTO: ST FILE
Nadine Chua
August 15, 2023
SINGAPORE - The man accused of killing his twins in 2022 was sentenced to 14 years’ jail after he admitted to strangling the boys and submerging their faces in a canal to ensure they were really dead.
Xavier Yap Jung Houn, 49, believed that killing his 11-year-old sons, who were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, would take away his wife’s burdens.
He also feared that no one would take care of the boys - Aston Yap Kai Shern and Ethan Yap E Chern - after he and his wife died, and was worried that they would be bullied by others.
After killing them, he attempted to end his own life by stabbing his stomach, chest and back with an ice pick. He also hit his head with a tree branch and a rock.
Xavier Yap was sentenced to 7 years’ jail on each of the two charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
Xavier Yap carried out his plan to kill them on Jan 21, 2022. He first drove the boys to a playground in Greenridge Crescent, which is near his condo in Toh Tuck Road.
The boys played there for around 10 minutes before he carried them one by one into a nearby canal.
He then picked up a stick and pressed it hard against Ethan’s neck. When the stick broke, he strangled Ethan by placing his forearm across the boy’s neck and pressing down hard.
Ethan initially struggled, but he eventually stopped moving. Xavier Yap then placed him on the ground with his face submerged in the water of the canal floor.
He then turned his attention to Aston, who had been standing quietly a few metres away while his brother was being strangled.
Xavier Yap tried to strangle Aston by placing his forearm across his son’s neck, but he was not strong enough and both fell to the ground.
While Aston was lying on the ground face up, Xavier Yap strangled him and continued to apply force to his neck until he was motionless.
He then submerged the boy’s face in the canal water.
On Tuesday, Xavier Yap stared blankly into space as the facts of the case were read out in court.
The prosecution said the victims were formally diagnosed with global developmental delay and autism spectrum disorder in 2017. They were suspected to have autism spectrum disorder since they were two years old.
While it was recommended that the twins be placed in a special education school, their mother had difficulty accepting her sons’ conditions.
Instead, the victims were enrolled in Primary 1 at a mainstream school at age 9 while they were still unable to speak.
The court heard that Xavier Yap had a good relationship with his sons, and did not usually discipline them with physical force. He was also more involved in their studies after they enrolled in the school.
Sometime in 2019 and 2020, he started to worry more about his sons’ future. He was saddened that his wife was unable to accept their conditions.
The prosecution said that the twins’ mother would often get angry with the boys, which also concerned their father.
On Tuesday, Xavier Yap stared blankly into space as the facts of the case were read out in court. ST ILLUSTRATION: MANUEL A FRANCISCO
Xavier Yap developed suicidal thoughts and purchased an ice pick in December 2021.
At the start of 2022, he started harbouring serious thoughts of killing his sons and himself after he noticed that his wife was increasingly frustrated and depressed because of the boys’ conditions.
Xavier Yap felt that his wife had given up on them, and he believed that killing them would take away her burdens.
Seeking a sentence of 14 to 20 years’ jail for the twins’ father, the prosecution on Tuesday said a tough stance should be taken against offenders who use violence on defenceless young victims.
“While the accused’s mental state at the time of the offences should be a factor in calibrating sentence, his illness is not a blanket excuse for his actions.
“This is especially so considering that the accused caused the death of two young victims,” said the prosecution.
The defence sought a jail term not exceeding five years for each of the charge, and for the sentences to run concurrently.
In court, Xavier Yap’s lawyers read out a letter he had written. In it, he said he believed that he could end his sons’ suffering by killing himself and taking them “along with (him)” .
He also said his major depressive disorder was exacerbated by his wife’s expectations of the boys - that they would behave like normal children.
She set out these unrealistic expectations by physical punishments and scoldings, he said in the letter.
Xavier Yap, whose 80-year-old mother was in court, also said that his condition was further aggravated when he learnt that his wife was cheating on him.
With him and the twins gone, he believed his wife could carry on with life with her “newfound love”.
Justice Vincent Hoong noted that the twins’ father had major depressive disorder when he killed his sons. ST ILLUSTRATION: MANUEL A FRANCISCO
Xavier Yap, who was represented by Mr Patrick Nai, Mr Choo Si Sen and Ms Choo Yean Lin from Tan Lee & Partners, and Mr Muhammad Razeen Sayed Majunoon from Advance Law, also claimed in his letter that his wife was “not even saddened by the demise of her two sons, as she started inviting her lover to stay at (their) house”.
“As a mother, she even threw away her two sons’ belongings. She has crossed the boundary that I could no longer tolerate,” he added in the letter.
In sentencing Xavier Yap, Justice Vincent Hoong noted that the twins’ father had major depressive disorder when he killed his sons.
He added that the boys were particularly vulnerable as they were not just young children, but had also suffered from autism spectrum disorder.
While it was a tragic case, the judge said Xavier Yap had betrayed the deep trust that a child has in his parent. Instead of caring for them as a parent would, he killed them.
Those convicted of culpable homicide not amounting to murder can either be jailed for life and caned, or jailed for up to 20 years and fined or caned.
He also said his major depressive disorder was exacerbated by his wife’s expectations of the boys - that they would behave like normal children. She set out these unrealistic expectations by physical punishments and scoldings, he said in the letter.
Xavier Yap...also said that his condition was further aggravated when he learnt that his wife was cheating on him.
Xavier Yap...also claimed in his letter that his wife was “not even saddened by the demise of her two sons, as she started inviting her lover to stay at (their) house”.
“As a mother, she even threw away her two sons’ belongings. She has crossed the boundary that I could no longer tolerate,” he added in the letter.
Father sentenced to 14 years’ jail for killing autistic twin sons, 11, in Bukit Timah
Xavier Yap Jung Houn believed that killing his sons would take away his wife’s burdens. PHOTO: ST FILE
Nadine Chua
August 15, 2023
SINGAPORE - The man accused of killing his twins in 2022 was sentenced to 14 years’ jail after he admitted to strangling the boys and submerging their faces in a canal to ensure they were really dead.
Xavier Yap Jung Houn, 49, believed that killing his 11-year-old sons, who were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, would take away his wife’s burdens.
He also feared that no one would take care of the boys - Aston Yap Kai Shern and Ethan Yap E Chern - after he and his wife died, and was worried that they would be bullied by others.
After killing them, he attempted to end his own life by stabbing his stomach, chest and back with an ice pick. He also hit his head with a tree branch and a rock.
Xavier Yap was sentenced to 7 years’ jail on each of the two charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
Xavier Yap carried out his plan to kill them on Jan 21, 2022. He first drove the boys to a playground in Greenridge Crescent, which is near his condo in Toh Tuck Road.
The boys played there for around 10 minutes before he carried them one by one into a nearby canal.
He then picked up a stick and pressed it hard against Ethan’s neck. When the stick broke, he strangled Ethan by placing his forearm across the boy’s neck and pressing down hard.
Ethan initially struggled, but he eventually stopped moving. Xavier Yap then placed him on the ground with his face submerged in the water of the canal floor.
He then turned his attention to Aston, who had been standing quietly a few metres away while his brother was being strangled.
Xavier Yap tried to strangle Aston by placing his forearm across his son’s neck, but he was not strong enough and both fell to the ground.
While Aston was lying on the ground face up, Xavier Yap strangled him and continued to apply force to his neck until he was motionless.
He then submerged the boy’s face in the canal water.
On Tuesday, Xavier Yap stared blankly into space as the facts of the case were read out in court.
The prosecution said the victims were formally diagnosed with global developmental delay and autism spectrum disorder in 2017. They were suspected to have autism spectrum disorder since they were two years old.
While it was recommended that the twins be placed in a special education school, their mother had difficulty accepting her sons’ conditions.
Instead, the victims were enrolled in Primary 1 at a mainstream school at age 9 while they were still unable to speak.
The court heard that Xavier Yap had a good relationship with his sons, and did not usually discipline them with physical force. He was also more involved in their studies after they enrolled in the school.
Sometime in 2019 and 2020, he started to worry more about his sons’ future. He was saddened that his wife was unable to accept their conditions.
The prosecution said that the twins’ mother would often get angry with the boys, which also concerned their father.
On Tuesday, Xavier Yap stared blankly into space as the facts of the case were read out in court. ST ILLUSTRATION: MANUEL A FRANCISCO
Xavier Yap developed suicidal thoughts and purchased an ice pick in December 2021.
At the start of 2022, he started harbouring serious thoughts of killing his sons and himself after he noticed that his wife was increasingly frustrated and depressed because of the boys’ conditions.
Xavier Yap felt that his wife had given up on them, and he believed that killing them would take away her burdens.
Seeking a sentence of 14 to 20 years’ jail for the twins’ father, the prosecution on Tuesday said a tough stance should be taken against offenders who use violence on defenceless young victims.
“While the accused’s mental state at the time of the offences should be a factor in calibrating sentence, his illness is not a blanket excuse for his actions.
“This is especially so considering that the accused caused the death of two young victims,” said the prosecution.
The defence sought a jail term not exceeding five years for each of the charge, and for the sentences to run concurrently.
In court, Xavier Yap’s lawyers read out a letter he had written. In it, he said he believed that he could end his sons’ suffering by killing himself and taking them “along with (him)” .
He also said his major depressive disorder was exacerbated by his wife’s expectations of the boys - that they would behave like normal children.
She set out these unrealistic expectations by physical punishments and scoldings, he said in the letter.
Xavier Yap, whose 80-year-old mother was in court, also said that his condition was further aggravated when he learnt that his wife was cheating on him.
With him and the twins gone, he believed his wife could carry on with life with her “newfound love”.
Justice Vincent Hoong noted that the twins’ father had major depressive disorder when he killed his sons. ST ILLUSTRATION: MANUEL A FRANCISCO
Xavier Yap, who was represented by Mr Patrick Nai, Mr Choo Si Sen and Ms Choo Yean Lin from Tan Lee & Partners, and Mr Muhammad Razeen Sayed Majunoon from Advance Law, also claimed in his letter that his wife was “not even saddened by the demise of her two sons, as she started inviting her lover to stay at (their) house”.
“As a mother, she even threw away her two sons’ belongings. She has crossed the boundary that I could no longer tolerate,” he added in the letter.
In sentencing Xavier Yap, Justice Vincent Hoong noted that the twins’ father had major depressive disorder when he killed his sons.
He added that the boys were particularly vulnerable as they were not just young children, but had also suffered from autism spectrum disorder.
While it was a tragic case, the judge said Xavier Yap had betrayed the deep trust that a child has in his parent. Instead of caring for them as a parent would, he killed them.
Those convicted of culpable homicide not amounting to murder can either be jailed for life and caned, or jailed for up to 20 years and fined or caned.
Xavier yap is a pussy.
Woman lied that she was raped by colleagues to get a Grab ride home
Nadine Chua
Sep 20, 2023
SINGAPORE – A woman who had consensual sex with two of her colleagues lied that she was raped by them so that her aunt would book her a Grab ride home.
Siti Junaidah Azahar, 22, on Wednesday pleaded guilty to one count of giving false information to a public servant. A second similar charge will also be considered in sentencing.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Melissa Heng said Siti and three men implicated in the case, named M, A and H, worked together at grocery delivery service RedMart in August 2021.
On Sept 6, 2021, at around 3.25am, Siti lodged a police report at Jurong West Neighbourhood Police Centre, claiming that she had been raped by her colleagues.
She stated that the incident took place in a Lavender Street hotel room, where there was only one single bed.
On the same day, Siti gave a statement to the police at the Serious Sexual Crime Branch. She said she drank alcohol with the three colleagues and another friend, Z, in the hotel room on Sept 4, 2021, at around 11pm.
DPP Heng said Siti felt tipsy after drinking around four cups of whisky and dozed off on the bed.
Siti told the police that when she woke up, she realised that A, 20, was raping her despite her resistance.
She also claimed that when she woke up again, H, 21, tried to pull down her shorts but failed to do so as she pushed him away.
Siti eventually left the hotel room on Sept 6 at around 1am, when her aunt booked a Grab ride for her.
Following her police report, the police began investigations.
“The hotel room was processed, and the leftover alcohol, mixer drinks and linen were seized for investigations. Furthermore, A was arrested and interviewed, while H was interviewed,” said DPP Heng.
On Sept 8, 2021, when the police interviewed Siti again, she admitted that she had consensual sex with A and H, and that she had lied in her police report and in her statement.
Siti said she lied as she wanted to leave the hotel room but did not have money with her.
As she was unable to get home, she sent a text message to her cousin and lied that “three boys did something” to her. She said this so that her aunt would agree to book her a Grab ride home.
Her aunt subsequently also accompanied her to lodge the police report.
Deputy Principal District Judge Kessler Soh called for a probation report and adjourned sentencing to November.
Those who give false information to a public servant may be jailed for up to two years, fined up to $5,000, or both.
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Woman who falsely accused man of assault sentenced to six weeks’ jail
Shaffiq Alkhatib
Court Correspondent
Sep 26, 2023
SINGAPORE - The boss of an employment agency allegedly wanted her former boyfriend to get in trouble and purportedly told her administration officer to lie that the man had assaulted the two of them.
To make it more believable, the female boss is said to have instructed another employee to punch and kick her so that she would have bruises.
As a result, police investigated the case and took statements from the 42-year-old former boyfriend.
The deceit was exposed after the admin officer, Nicole Chng Jin Wen, left the company Raffles Human Resource and recanted the statements she had given earlier.
Despite her efforts, Chng was sentenced to six weeks’ jail on Tuesday after she pleaded guilty to offences including giving false information to a police officer.
The case involving her former boss Sophia Gill, 52, is pending. It was not mentioned if any action is being taken against the other employee who allegedly hit Gill.
Chng, 28, had worked for the employment agency from March 6 to June 30, 2017. On May 23, 2017, her boss wanted to confront the man, so they visited a kebab restaurant near Beach Road that he ran.
An Expedited Protection Order (EPO) had been issued that same day against Gill, to prevent her from confronting the man and his wife. The order is issued when there is an imminent danger.
Gill and the man were in a relationship from 2015. They started the eatery together but the relationship ended the next year when he learnt she was married.
The end was acrimonious, with both parties making multiple police reports against each other.
In 2017, he married another woman and applied for an EPO. The order expired on May 8 that year and he was granted another order, which was issued the day Chng and Gill turned up at the restaurant.
At the eatery, Deputy Public Prosecutor Tan Pei Wei said Gill started shouting vulgarities at her former boyfriend. She also caused a ruckus by kicking over two chairs.
The man told the two women to leave several times and even locked the main door to the restaurant when they refused to budge.
Gill and Chng then called the police. When the man unlocked the door, the two women lied to the officers that he had assaulted them.
Later that day, Gill told one of her employees to meet her and Chng in a carpark.
The DPP said Gill told the employee to hit her, so that she could pretend that the resulting injuries were caused by her former boyfriend.
The employee then punched and kicked Gill, causing bruises on her left upper arm and right leg.
“Sophia also told Chng to memorise a false account that (the former boyfriend) had assaulted them both... and convey this to the authorities,” added the prosecutor.
After that, Gill and Chng went to Tan Tock Seng Hospital. The DPP said acting on Gill’s instructions, Chng lied to the doctor about the incident.
The two women then lodged police reports against Gill’s former boyfriend on May 24, 2017. Six days later, Chng made a magistrate’s complaint over the allegation and the police were directed to investigate.
Chng came clean on July 11, 2017, after her last day of work at the company on June 30. The prosecutor said Gill had withheld her salary until Chng complied with her instructions.
Jail for woman who lied about being raped by ex-boyfriend after an argument
Christine Tan
Oct 2, 2023
SINGAPORE – After an argument with her ex-boyfriend, a woman called the police and claimed he had raped her thrice during their relationship.
She recanted her statement more than a month later and admitted she had lied in order to get him into trouble.
On Monday, Chinese national Zhang Lutian, 22, was sentenced to five weeks’ jail after pleading guilty to one count of giving false information to a public servant.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Kevin Liew said the couple met in April 2021 via messaging platform WeChat. They started a relationship in August that year and started living together at the man’s residence.
On March 9, 2022, the two of them had an argument which stretched till midnight the next day. At 12.38am on March 10, Zhang called the police, saying her ex-boyfriend had hurt her, and she was bleeding.
Zhang told two police officers who came to the residence that she had been sexually assaulted by her ex-boyfriend. Given the serious allegation, the police dispatched 17 more officers to the scene, including five investigation officers and four forensic officers.
At 6.30am the same day, Zhang recorded a statement at Police Cantonment Complex claiming her ex-boyfriend had physically abused her and raped her thrice during their relationship.
She also repeated the false allegations to the medical officer during her medical examination.
Her ex-boyfriend had to undergo a police interview, had his mobile phones seized and passport impounded by the police, and was required to apply for a special pass to continue staying in Singapore. His nationality and age were not stated in court documents.
Over a month later, on April 20, 2022, Zhang admitted to the police she had lied and recanted her false statement.
DPP Liew said significant public resources were wasted to investigate the false allegations. Besides the officers at the scene, other forensic officers, cleaning crew and medical staff were activated for follow-up investigations.
Noting the gravity of the offence, DPP Liew asked for Zhang to be jailed for between six and 10 weeks.
Quoting the High Court’s comments in another similar case, DPP Liew said: “Any false allegation of rape must not be taken lightly. Not only is it a serious allegation, it is often difficult to verify because, in most of such cases, it is the word of one person against the other.
“Given the social stigma usually attached to such offences, it could irretrievably damage the reputation of the alleged rapist even if the allegations were subsequently proven to be false.”
Zhang had a mitigation plea prepared, but had to let an interpreter read it on her behalf after she broke down crying in the dock.
In her plea, she asked for a fine instead of a jail term, saying she had just turned 21 a month before the offences and her “cognitive ability for legal terms and awareness of the seriousness of the crime (was) still very immature”.
Zhang said she suffers from severe depression and anxiety, and claimed her ex-boyfriend had treated her rudely during disputes.
Describing the moment when she made the false allegations, Zhang said: “My mind was not conscious at the point in time. I was too desperate at the time and I wanted protection from the police.”
She said her ex-boyfriend has since forgiven her.
Apologising for taking up the police force’s time and resources, Zhang said: “I did not expect things to go this way, and this is my first time being involved (with) the law. I have realised my mistake, and I am remorseful for my actions.”
Zhang will start serving her sentence next week.
48% of S’poreans believe promoting women’s equality has become discrimination against men: Ipsos study
Around half of Singaporeans also fear speaking up for women's rights, the study found.
By Jonathan Yee - 7 Mar 2024
Women’s equality has gone too far, say 48% of Singaporeans in Ipsos study
Almost half of Singaporeans polled for an Ipsos study believe that promoting women’s equality has gone so far that it discriminates against men.Gen Z men are also more likely to hold this sentiment compared to Baby Boomers, Gen X, and Millennial men.
The study, which polled around 500 Singaporeans aged between 21 and 74 years, also found that the majority had no preference when it comes to the gender of their political leaders.
Ipsos study finds 48% of Singaporeans believe women’s equality has led to discrimination against men
The Ipsos study for International Women’s Day was released on Thursday (7 March) and conducted together with the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership at King’s College London.The study polled around 24,000 people across 31 countries, which includes about 500 Singaporeans.
Around two-thirds of Singaporeans — 62% — believe things have gone far enough when it comes to giving women equal rights with men in Singapore.
Source: Ipsos
68% of men polled felt this way, compared to 55% of women.
Ipsos also noted an “emerging sense of concern” in Singapore regarding the impact of gender equality on men.
This was borne in 48% of Singaporeans feeling things have gone the other way when it comes to promoting women’s equality into discrimination against men.
Singapore sits on the high end of the countries polled — 79% of people in Thailand feel this way, followed by 67% in India.
Source: Ipsos
IPSOS noted that 57% of Singaporean men have this sentiment, compared to 39% of women.
Fear of speaking up for women’s rights noted among 48% of Singaporeans
48% of Singaporeans also said they were scared to speak out for equal rights for women as they fear reprisal. Of these, 51% of women agree compared to 45% of men.
Source: Ipsos
“More than half (58%) of Singaporeans also agree that men are being expected to do too much to support equality,” Ipsos said.
Gen Z more likely to think women’s equality has gone too far
The study found that Gen Z males are more likely to think that women’s equality has gone too far, compared to Baby Boomers and Gen X.
Source: Ipsos
Gen Z women, on the other hand, are less likely to think this, although the sentiment does not differ significantly between Gen X, Millennial, and Gen Z women.
Where inclusion in politics is concerned, 27% of Singaporeans would prefer a male political leader. However, just 7% would opt for a female political leader.
That said, 63% had no preference for either gender.
Source: Ipsos
Most Singaporeans also agree that both genders are equally competent in areas such as being honest and ethical, getting the economy on track, ensuring ethnic minorities are treated fairly, and benefiting those who are less advantaged.
Most believe male politicians tend to excel better in fighting crime, defending national security, and getting the economy on track.
Meanwhile, respondents tend to see female politicians as upholding fair treatment of women, uplifting the less advantaged, and treating those LGBT+ identities fairly.
Half have no preference when it comes to gender of boss
Though 36% of respondents demonstrated a tendency to favour male bosses over female bosses (10%), the majority (51%) were neutral about the gender of their bosses.Singaporeans were also mostly in agreement that both male and female leaders can create a financially successful and innovative company.
However, 16% think males are better, while only 8% believe females are better.
Katharine Zhou, Country Manager for Ipsos in Singapore, said there could be an unconscious bias when associating certain roles and capabilities between genders.
This is even though most have no preferences over their boss’ gender.
Sentiment warrants “further examination”
Ms Zhou said it was “revealing” to see that most believe women’s rights in Singapore had gone far enough.However, there is a “significant” gender difference in these perceptions, she said.
The sentiment espoused by 48% of respondents over women’s equality efforts discriminating against men also warranted further examination, she added, calling the result “notable”.
“It is also interesting to note the apprehension among Singaporeans about advocating for gender equality,” she said.
“This could be attributed to various socio-cultural factors and shows us that while we have made progress, there is still work to be done.”
She advocated for a more comprehensive dialogue on gender equality that “transcends familiar arguments” into an increased appreciation for emerging sentiments as found in the study.
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