Orchard Towers murder: Man admits discarding alleged killer’s blood-stained T-shirt

Singapore — One of the seven people originally charged with the murder of a man at Orchard Towers, pleaded guilty on Monday (Dec 14) to obstructing justice by discarding a blood-stained T-shirt belonging to the alleged killer.

The victim, 31-year-old Satheesh Noel Gobidass, died of a stab wound to the neck after a brawl early on July 2 last year. The stab wound was allegedly inflicted by Tan Sen Yang, 28. One of the men with him, Loo Boon Chong, 27, admitted throwing away Tan’s T-shirt later in the day.

According to a report on todayonline, the court heard some new details about what happened after the fatal brawl.

Mr Satheesh had confronted the group over an earlier argument outside the nightclub, and secret society slogans were exchanged between the group and his group.

During the confrontation, Tan Sen Yang swung his knife — a foldable karambit, a small curved knife resembling a claw — at everyone gathered at the entrance, slashing one of the security officers on the finger and another man on the face. He then allegedly slashed Mr Satheesh with the knife around the lower jaw and neck.

Loo was aware that the victim had been grievously injured by Tan Sen Yang, when he boarded a taxi with him and Tan Hong Sheng, who was 22. The trio took a taxi to Boon Lay Place Market.

Loo had known Tan Sen Yang for about three years. When they left the market later, the duo went to Loo’s home to shower. Loo also gave Tan a new T-shirt to change into after noticing a patch of blood on his T-shirt.

After Tan left, Loo checked his home to ensure Tan had not left the karambit there. He then saw the blood-stained T-shirt in his bedroom.

“Intending to obstruct the course of justice by preventing the police from finding Tan’s blood-stained white T-shirt in his house and to try to avoid being implicated in Tan’s offence, the accused brought the T-shirt out of his house, and discarded it down the common rubbish chute along the corridor,” Deputy Public Prosecutor Dora Tay told the court.

Loo was the fifth person to admit to his involvement in Mr Satheesh’s death. Three others have been sentenced to jail terms, while the fourth — Chan Jia Xing, 27 — was given a year-long conditional warning in October.

Loo also admitted to one unrelated charge of gambling in public.

A third charge of consorting with Tan Sen Yang, who allegedly had an offensive weapon that morning, will be taken into consideration for sentencing on Jan 15 next year.

Tan Sen Yang is accused of carrying a karambit at the Naughty Girl Club in Orchard Towers. He is the only one who still faces a capital murder charge, with his case still pending.

For intentionally obstructing justice, Loo could be jailed for up to seven years, fined or both.

The last accused, Tan Hong Sheng, who faces a charge connected with the brawl and another unrelated charge, also had his case set for Jan 15 next year. /TISG

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