SINGAPORE: A man who murdered his ex-wife by stabbing her multiple times at her workplace at the Institute of Technical Education College Central was sentenced to life imprisonment on Wednesday (Sep 22).
Seet Cher Hng, 69, was found guilty last week of one count of murder, after he said an hour into the opening of the trial that he wanted to plead guilty. His lawyer said this was to shield Seet's daughter, whom he “loves dearly”, and other loved ones from re-living the tragedy.
He had married 56-year-old Low Hwee Geok, a divisional director of the examinations division at ITE College Central, in 1993.
They divorced in June 2011, but Seet was unhappy with the division of matrimonial assets and believed that the divorce had occurred because of Ms Low's alleged infidelity.
Between 2011 and 2018, Seet sent numerous demands to his ex-wife, seeking a sum of S$200,000 to S$500,000 from her.
Before Chinese New Year in 2018, he left a letter on Ms Low's car at ITE College Central, demanding S$500,000 and threatening to commence legal proceedings.
His ex-wife did not respond to his letters or emails, and Seet grew increasingly isolated, upset, and depressed.
On Jul 19, 2018, Seet drove a shared car to Carpark K of ITE College Central, taking with him a haversack containing three knives, a spanner and a note to the police.
One of the knives was engraved with "010609" and "020609", a reminder of the dates he believed he had caught his ex-wife having an affair.
He waited for Ms Low to end work. When he saw her walking towards her car about 7.30pm, he approached her and entered the front passenger side of the vehicle just as she sat in the driver's seat.
Ms Low screamed when she saw Seet. They struggled and Ms Low fell while stepping out of the car.
Seet then began attacking his ex-wife, knifing her thrice in the chest and back. He left eight stab and incised wounds on her before stabbing himself repeatedly and collapsing on top of her.
Paramedics pronounced Ms Low dead at about 8pm. Seet was taken to hospital under police escort.
Ms Low's cause of death was certified as stab wounds to the chest and abdomen, while Seet was found with 13 stab wounds on his body.
He was placed in the Intensive Care Unit and his condition later improved. A medical report from the Institute of Mental Health later found that Seet was not suffering from any major mental disorder and was not of unsound mind at the time of the stabbing.
For murder, he could have been sentenced either to death or life imprisonment. He cannot be caned as he is above 50.
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Seet Cher Hng, 69, was found guilty last week of one count of murder, after he said an hour into the opening of the trial that he wanted to plead guilty. His lawyer said this was to shield Seet's daughter, whom he “loves dearly”, and other loved ones from re-living the tragedy.
He had married 56-year-old Low Hwee Geok, a divisional director of the examinations division at ITE College Central, in 1993.
They divorced in June 2011, but Seet was unhappy with the division of matrimonial assets and believed that the divorce had occurred because of Ms Low's alleged infidelity.
Between 2011 and 2018, Seet sent numerous demands to his ex-wife, seeking a sum of S$200,000 to S$500,000 from her.
Before Chinese New Year in 2018, he left a letter on Ms Low's car at ITE College Central, demanding S$500,000 and threatening to commence legal proceedings.
His ex-wife did not respond to his letters or emails, and Seet grew increasingly isolated, upset, and depressed.
On Jul 19, 2018, Seet drove a shared car to Carpark K of ITE College Central, taking with him a haversack containing three knives, a spanner and a note to the police.
One of the knives was engraved with "010609" and "020609", a reminder of the dates he believed he had caught his ex-wife having an affair.
He waited for Ms Low to end work. When he saw her walking towards her car about 7.30pm, he approached her and entered the front passenger side of the vehicle just as she sat in the driver's seat.
Ms Low screamed when she saw Seet. They struggled and Ms Low fell while stepping out of the car.
Seet then began attacking his ex-wife, knifing her thrice in the chest and back. He left eight stab and incised wounds on her before stabbing himself repeatedly and collapsing on top of her.
Paramedics pronounced Ms Low dead at about 8pm. Seet was taken to hospital under police escort.
Ms Low's cause of death was certified as stab wounds to the chest and abdomen, while Seet was found with 13 stab wounds on his body.
He was placed in the Intensive Care Unit and his condition later improved. A medical report from the Institute of Mental Health later found that Seet was not suffering from any major mental disorder and was not of unsound mind at the time of the stabbing.
For murder, he could have been sentenced either to death or life imprisonment. He cannot be caned as he is above 50.
Continue reading...