SINGAPORE : Four SAF commandos have been found guilty of causing
the death of Second Sergeant Hu En Huai. Sentencing will take place
next Friday.
The 19-year-old NSman died during combat survival training on Pulau
Tekong last August.
After 36 days of testimonies from 50 witnesses, January 7 was to be
a day for the lawyers to make their closing submissions.
Lawyers from all sides presented their closing arguments and
expected judgment to be adjourned to a later date.
But 40 minutes later, District Judge Ng Peng Hong returned from his
chambers with a judgment.
The judge found the four army officers guilty of causing the death
of Second Sergeant Hu by committing a rash act.
The verdict comes nearly 10 months after Second Sergeant Hu died
after his head was repeatedly held under water.
This was part of the Combat Survival Training course, designed to
prepare trainees for the potential treatment they might receive as
a prisoner of war.
Both Lieutenant Jeff Ng Chin Fong and Lieutenant Divanandhari
Chandrasekharan were among those who conducted the training
course.
They were charged with causing death, by holding Mr Hu's head under
water and ''digging his nose'' to prevent him from holding his
breath.
Captain Pandiaraj Mayandi, supervising officer of the course, was
charged with abetting Mr Hu's death, by instigating the instructors
to carry out the training.
Captain Pandiaraj said he did brief instructors not to immerse
trainees' heads in water more than four times, and not to exceed 20
seconds each.
Warrant officer S. Balakrishnan, who was the course commander, was
charged with abetting the instructors, by not stopping them from
immersing Mr Hu's head in the water.
The four accused officers were each also charged with causing
grievous hurt to Captain Ho Wan Huo who underwent the same
training.
Mr Ho almost drowned and suffered respiratory distress syndrome
after the alleged acts were committed on August 21 at Pulau
Tekong.
On each charge, the men can be jailed for up to two years and
fined.
Sentencing has been scheduled for January 14. - CNA