Thread: 82-year-old man who killed daughter-in-law jailed 8 years

SINGAPORE: An 82-year-old man who stabbed his daughter-in-law to death in their Tampines flat in 2014 was sentenced to eight years' jail on Monday (Apr 25).

Retiree Char Chin Fah pleaded guilty Monday morning to one count of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, for killing Madam Ong Guat Leng, 54, on Aug 21, 2014.

The pair shared an acrimonious relationship, the High Court heard, and Char often complained Mdm Ong, a housewife, was disrespectful towards him. He decided to kill her after the two quarrelled and Char's elder son did not speak up for him, siding with Mdm Ong, his wife, instead.

The next morning, Char consumed some alcohol to “gather more courage” to kill Mdm Ong. He waited for family members to leave the flat for work before attacking Mdm Ong as she laid sleeping in the family’s Tampines Street 43 flat, the court heard.

Char grabbed her by her hair and banged her head against the wall. An autopsy later revealed the then-80-year-old did this with enough force to fracture Mdm Ong’s skull.

Despite the woman’s pleas for forgiveness, Char decided not to “let her off easily” and stabbed her four times in the chest with a kitchen knife that had a 20cm-long blade. Mdm Ong’s body was later found lying in a pool of blood, the knife still embedded in her chest.

CHAR’S SURRENDER

After the killing, Char washed up and changed his clothes before calling his daughter and younger son to tell them what he had done, and indicated he planned to commit suicide.

The siblings managed to dissuade their father from killing himself, and instead brought him to Bedok police station, where Char surrendered.

The report further stated Char’s paranoid reaction had subsided after his “perceived villainess had been eliminated”, but added that there was a possibility of Char developing a similar paranoid reaction in future.

This is because he also has a “baseline paranoid personality construct”, which predisposes him to develop “paranoid suspicions about the intentions of others towards him, and renders him a difficult subject to live with”, the report stated.

"I HAVE NO REGRETS": CHAR

Deputy Public Prosecutor Mohamed Faizal urged the court to sentence Char to 10 years in jail, pointing to the “brutal and savage manner” in which Char killed Mdm Ong.

The DPP added that Char clearly understood what he was doing, despite consuming alcohol before the killing. Char maintains what he did was justified, the DPP said, citing a psychiatric report in which Char stated: “I have no regrets, because … she had no manners.”

This shows a complete lack of insight into his condition and the need for treatment, DPP Faizal said, adding that Char’s paranoid personality is “ever present”.

CHAR FELT "BELITTLED"

Char’s lawyer Ramesh Tiwary said the elderly man had felt “insulted and belittled” by his daughter-in-law’s frequent chiding. Mdm Ong had scolded Char for being a burden and living off the family, Mr Tiwary said.

The lawyer urged the court to sentence Char to five years’ jail, citing the man’s advanced age. “He is frail. With each passing day he will become less physically able to become violent, even if he wants to," Mr Tiwary said.

He added that Char’s daughter and son-in-law are willing to take Char in after he serves his prison sentence.

In sentencing Char to eight years’ jail, Justice Woo Bih Li said it is important that the sentence not be so long as to equal a life sentence for Char. “The only reason why I have experienced some hesitation about a long term of imprisonment is your advanced age," the judge told Char.

Justice Woo also asked the prosecution and defence what would become of Char upon his release from prison, urging both sides to consider whether Char would be best looked after by his family, or whether he could live in an institution or home instead.

Speaking to the media after Char’s sentencing, his daughter Ms Jenny Char, 54, admitted her father has a temper, but said she is willing to take him in, and has been taking turns with her youngest brother to visit their father in prison.

The family does not keep in touch with Char’s older son – Mdm Ong’s widower – she added.

For culpable homicide not amounting to murder, Char could have been jailed for life, or for up to 20 years. As he is above 50, he cannot be caned.

82-year-old man who killed daughter-in-law jailed 8 years - Channel NewsAsia