Murder of Hor Koon Seng
The police arrived at the factory and cordoned off the area for some time before the suspect finally surrendered at the persuasion of his girlfriend.
[2] On 3 April 1974, the 19-year-old suspect, whose identity was Liew Ah Chiew, a National Serviceman and army private, was officially charged with the murder of Lieutenant Hor Koon Seng, and he was remanded for investigations and psychiatric assessments.
Subsequently, after graduating from secondary school, Liew enlisted in the army to serve his two-year mandatory National Service in April 1973.
Ramanathan, whose case for the theft of ammunition was pending at that time, testified that he kept two while giving the remaining twelve live rounds to Liew, who wanted to bring the bullets home.
[18][19] Liew Ah Chiew's girlfriend Tan Yoke Lian, a textile factory employee and Malaysian born in Pontian, Johor, testified that she knew Liew since their school days three years before, and described him as a soft-spoken person who treated her well, although he had a bad temper and could become violent when angry, and had slapped her on several occasions when he was in a fit of anger, and later apologised once he calmed down.
After meeting her boyfriend, Tan heard from Liew that he shot an army officer and he escaped to her workplace due to fear and confusion.
Tan told the court that after hearing his explanation, she persuaded Liew to surrender and to not continue making matters worse, and he listened to her.
[22][23] Liew recounted that later, he went into Lieutenant Hor's office to meet up with his superior, bringing the rifle along with him, which he loaded with twelve stolen bullets he received from a platoon mate.
Liew recounted that he felt insulted at Lieutenant Hor not taking him seriously and that led to him firing a single shot at the door to show that his rifle was loaded.
Defence psychiatrist Tsoi Wing Foo testified that Liew suffered from a personality disorder, which was a result of his family background, his perceived lack of love and parental negligence, and demonstrated through his frequent bouts of emotional instability and moral issues.
Reportedly, Liew's girlfriend Tan Yoke Lian was so devastated at the verdict that she fainted and had to be carried out of the courtroom by relatives.
[36] In a final bid to escape the gallows, Liew submitted a petition for presidential clemency, which would allow his sentence be commuted to life imprisonment if successful.
However, on 22 November 1975, then President of Singapore Benjamin Sheares decided to, on the advice of the Cabinet, turn down the petitions, and therefore, Liew's death sentence was finalized and he was due to hang within a short time for the murder of Hor Koon Seng.
[37] On 28 November 1975, a week after his death row plea for clemency failed, 21-year-old Liew Ah Chiew was hanged at dawn in Changi Prison.
