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http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1155059/1/.html
Application for discharge in MBS armed robbery case
By Shaffiq Alkhatib | Posted: 23 September 2011 1456 hrs
Photos 1 of 1
SINGAPORE: The prosecution has made an application for a man, accused of armed robbery at Marina Bay Sands (MBS), to be given a discharge not amounting to an acquittal.
Octavius Tok Tien Howe had been charged earlier this year with robbing a managing director, Mr Gay Choon Hooi, of S$450,000 while armed with a knife in a hotel room on April 14.
The unemployed Tok was accused of working together with an alleged accomplice, Neo Ek Khiang, who is still at large.
The court heard the prosecution cannot proceed with the case as it now stands.
Deputy public prosecutor, Sanjiv Vaswani, said Mr Neo had left the country soon after the alleged offence and the authorities do not know where he is.
Defence counsel, Subhas Anandan, however, objected to the application, saying the prosecution had known from the start that Mr Neo was no longer in town.
The lawyer stressed that his client had been arrested in April and was remanded for three months before he was released on a S$200,000 bail.
Mr Anandan also said he had requested for a first information report about the case in May and still had not received it.
Such reports are written documents prepared by the police when they receive information about offences.
Mr Anandan told District Judge Eddy Tham that if he did not receive the report soon, he would take a criminal motion in the High Court, adding that the prosecution's conduct was "unsatisfactory".
Mr Anandan said his client was also contemplating making a complaint of malicious prosecution against Mr Gay and the police.
The case has been adjourned to September 28.
In June, it was reported the High Court had ordered Mr Tok to pay MBS his bill which came up to S$619,000, incurred during a 23-day stay there.
He had racked up these expenses between March and April, this year, days before the alleged robbery.
With this ruling, MBS can now recover the money from Mr Tok's assets.
- CNA/ck
Application for discharge in MBS armed robbery case
By Shaffiq Alkhatib | Posted: 23 September 2011 1456 hrs
Photos 1 of 1
SINGAPORE: The prosecution has made an application for a man, accused of armed robbery at Marina Bay Sands (MBS), to be given a discharge not amounting to an acquittal.
Octavius Tok Tien Howe had been charged earlier this year with robbing a managing director, Mr Gay Choon Hooi, of S$450,000 while armed with a knife in a hotel room on April 14.
The unemployed Tok was accused of working together with an alleged accomplice, Neo Ek Khiang, who is still at large.
The court heard the prosecution cannot proceed with the case as it now stands.
Deputy public prosecutor, Sanjiv Vaswani, said Mr Neo had left the country soon after the alleged offence and the authorities do not know where he is.
Defence counsel, Subhas Anandan, however, objected to the application, saying the prosecution had known from the start that Mr Neo was no longer in town.
The lawyer stressed that his client had been arrested in April and was remanded for three months before he was released on a S$200,000 bail.
Mr Anandan also said he had requested for a first information report about the case in May and still had not received it.
Such reports are written documents prepared by the police when they receive information about offences.
Mr Anandan told District Judge Eddy Tham that if he did not receive the report soon, he would take a criminal motion in the High Court, adding that the prosecution's conduct was "unsatisfactory".
Mr Anandan said his client was also contemplating making a complaint of malicious prosecution against Mr Gay and the police.
The case has been adjourned to September 28.
In June, it was reported the High Court had ordered Mr Tok to pay MBS his bill which came up to S$619,000, incurred during a 23-day stay there.
He had racked up these expenses between March and April, this year, days before the alleged robbery.
With this ruling, MBS can now recover the money from Mr Tok's assets.
- CNA/ck
