The Subordinate Courts on Thursday laid out the punishment for
three teenagers hired to kill a man's lover.
42-year-old Chua Beng Hin, who hired the boys, has been sentenced
to five years in jail and six strokes of the cane.
He wanted the boys to gorge out his mistress' eyes because she was
seeing someone new.
But the plot was discovered before it could take place.
One of the boys hired by Chua is 16-year-old Tan Hock Meng.
The other two cannot be named as they're minors.
The families of the three teenagers were in court to listen to the
judge's sentence.
And most were relieved when they heard the judgement.
Tan Hock Meng will be placed under probation for three years.
He will spend the first year in a boys' home.
The second accused, a 15-year-old boy, gets a similar sentence but
will spend the first year in a boys' hostel.
Each of the two accused also has to do 240 hours of community
service and their movements will be restricted.
The third accused, also 15 years old, got a heavier sentence of
three years in jail and six strokes of the cane.
But that was later reduced to just three years in prison.
In a sudden twist of events, the judge had recalled one of the
accused and his lawyer back into the courtroom to change the
original sentence.
This is a rare move.
And the reason - judges at the sub-courts don't have the authority
to order a minor under 16 years old to be caned.
Only the High Court can do that.
Lawyer Mark Goh said: "Very, very fortunately before the court
closed for the day, he went back to court and we managed to hear
the good news that my client is not facing the caning sentence
anymore. I think 3 years is a long time and if you weigh that
against the seriousness of the offence, it would be an appropriate
sentence."
The sentences take immediate effect. - CNA/ir