AWOL soldier charged with stealing weapon
Also hauled to court is a man said to have been with the corporal
in a Geylang hotel room on Monday
By David Boey
THE army corporal who went missing with a loaded assault rifle over
the weekend appeared to have holed up in a Geylang hotel before he
was nabbed on Monday night.
Dave Teo Ming, 20, booked a room in Champagne Hotel in Geylang
Lorong 16 for four nights - starting last Friday.
It appears that Teo, the first soldier in about 20 years to be
charged with stealing his weapon, had company in the hotel.
Also charged yesterday was Ong Boon Jun, an unemployed 21-year-old,
who is said to have been in the room with him from 3.45am to 7.30am
on Monday.
Teo faces a jail term of between five and 20 years and caning under
the Arms Offences Act.
As for Ong, his offence was keeping mum - even though he knew that
Teo had an illegal weapon on him.
He faces a jail term of five to 14 years and caning.
In the last reported case in 1986, a 20-year-old full-time national
serviceman who stole a rifle, 30 bullets and other military items
was jailed five years and given 12 strokes of the cane.
Teo was trained as an infantry rifleman with the 1st Battalion,
Singapore Infantry Regiment.
He is said to have fled Mandai Hill Camp on Sunday while on guard
duty.
He went missing, along with an SAR-21 assault rifle and and several
5.56mm bullets for the weapon.
A massive islandwide manhunt involving some 200 police officers was
launched before Teo was finally arrested at Orchard Cineleisure
mall on Monday evening.
Police caught him in a toilet on the mall's third floor. When he
was nabbed, he was dressed snappily in a black suit and tie. The
loaded rifle was found with him in the toilet.
The Geylang hotel staff said that later on Monday night, police
turned up, asking to see the room.
Room 401 was empty save for the remains of two McDonald's breakfast
meals and discarded hamburger wrappers.
A Nokia phone charger was plugged into a wall socket.
Yesterday, hotel staff told The Straits Times that Teo had checked
into the room in the early hours of the morning.
The room was booked in the name of a Thai woman - although Teo
signed for the room keys and paid the $30 per night room
rate.
It is believed that the Thai woman, who signed in as 'Kanjama' in
the hotel records, has also been picked up by police.
Ms Elsie Tan, 56, the hotel's receptionist, said police also took
away footage recorded by the security cameras.
Teo enlisted for national service in September 2005.
When he went absent without official leave, he had only one month
to go before completing his NS stint.
Teo, wearing a white polo T-shirt and black shorts, appeared uneasy
as his eyes darted around the crowded courtroom yesterday
morning.
He spotted several family members in the crowd and they exchanged
nods but did not get the opportunity to speak to one another.
Both Teo and Ong are remanded for another week for further
investigations.
Also in court yesterday were Teo's paternal grandparents, two
cousins and several friends.
They resolutely refused to speak to reporters, and there was a
small commotion outside the courts when Teo's male cousin and
grandfather lashed out, kicking and pushing at photographers and a
television crew.
After Teo's civil case, he will face more disciplinary action, but
this time, in a military court.
A Ministry of Defence spokesman told The Straits Times that the
Singapore Armed Forces will take 'appropriate disciplinary actions
following investigations'.
[email protected]
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY JERMYN CHOW
Free video report
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WHY POLICE KEPT MUM
'A decision was taken not to make the information public as that
might put him on his guard or make him feel cornered. This might
endanger the public.'
A POLICE SPOKESMAN, responding to queries on why an information
blackout was necessary while Dave Teo Ming was on the run
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