Singapore — The High Court head on Monday (Feb 14) said that the prosecution in the case of a rapist who was found dead earlier this month is not asking for bail amounting to $80,000 to be forfeited.
At 6:55 am on Feb 3, a few hours before he was scheduled to be sentenced, 27-year-old Wong Zhun Siong, was found dead at the foot of Block 18D Holland Drive.
On Nov 24 of last year, Wong was convicted of raping an 18-year-old woman. He had approached the teen on March 23, 2019, at Clark Quay, while she was drunk.
He then took her to his home and raped her.
However, in the course of investigating the incident, the police discovered that in a previous incident in April 2018, Wong had taken another drunk woman, 27, to a handicap toilet, where he proceeded to pull her pants down and take pictures of her.
For the 2018 incident, Wong was acquitted of attempted rape but was convicted of molesting the woman.
But he was slapped with ten other charges, including two charges for taking photos of the women in various states of undress. The other charges involved thievery and fraudulent possession.
On the day of his sentencing, neither the prosecution nor Wong’s family knew that he had been found dead that morning.Â
Wong was not at home when his father, Mr Wong Lit Wai, 56, woke up that morning. Nor could he be reached on his mobile phone, Mr Wong told Justice Mavis Chionh, who promptly issued a warrant for Wong’s arrest.
She also set a date for a show cause hearing so that Mr Wong could explain why his son’s bail should not be forfeited.
However, later that day, news about Wong’s death reached all parties involved.
Mr Wong was informed by Justice Chionh on Feb 14 that the prosecution was not submitting for forfeiture of any part of the bail.
Additionally, she granted that all criminal charges against Wong be abated.
“I consider that cause is shown and there is to be no forfeiture of the bail bond,” The Straits Times quotes Justice Chionh as saying.
After Wong was found motionless at the foot of the HDB, a Singapore Civil Defence Force paramedic pronounced him dead on the scene.
“Based on preliminary investigations, the police do not suspect foul play. Police investigations are still ongoing,” the authorities said on Feb 3.
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