Aug 24, 2011 - Straits Times
A 36-year-old man was sentenced to 15 years in jail and 12
strokes of the cane on Wednesday for stabbing another man to death
over a pushing incident.
In passing the sentence, Justice Steven Chong said that Tan Keng
Huat had committed an 'irrational act' that resulted in a
'completely unnecessary loss of a life'.
In June 2009, Tan, who was unemployed, had stabbed Mr John
Vettamooto in the chest with a diving knife after the latter had an
argument with his older brother, Mr Tan Thian Chye, 41.
The elder Tan had bumped into Mr Vettamooto at the foot of the
block of flats where he lived in Redhill Close, and both had traded
punches. During the fight, Mr Vettamooto yanked off Thian Chye's
ivory necklace and threw it on the floor.
