Accused in Orchard Towers murder case arrested after jumping bail, slapped with new charge in court
Pieces of tissue paper soaked in blood seen at the entrance of Orchard Towers on Jul 2, 2019. (Photo: 8world News/Cai Youxia)
SINGAPORE: An accused person linked to the Orchard Towers murder case was arrested after jumping bail and taken to court on Friday (Sep 27), where he was given a fresh charge.
Tan Hong Sheng, 22, was charged with rioting with four other men at about 3.30am outside Club Secret in 5 Magazine Road on Aug 9, 2019.
He is accused, along with the other men, of using violence on a 30-year-old man by punching and kicking him.
READ: Orchard Towers death: Murder charges withdrawn for three suspects
Tan was arrested on Thursday, almost a month after he failed to show up in court for a further mention of his case.
He turned up in the State Courts in police custody, wearing a black shirt.
READ: Murders and fights, but some tenants say Orchard Towers is safe
Defence lawyer Josephus Tan said they had put on record at the last hearing that he was still on board as Tan's lawyer, "notwithstanding the fact of his abscondment".
When District Judge Terence Tay asked Tan if he still intended to have Mr Tan as his lawyer, Tan said: "Yes, your honour. Can I talk to my lawyer?"
"Not at this juncture," the judge answered, adjourning his case for a further mention on Oct 4.
READ: Commentary: An intense urge to hurt someone, when anger gets out of hand for some
Tan had originally been charged alongside five men and one woman for murder with common intention.
His charge was later reduced to consorting with one of the accused, Tan Sen Yang, at Naughty Girl Club on Jul 2. Tan allegedly had a foldable karambit knife, a small curved knife, with him at the time.
The 31-year-old victim, Satheesh Noel Gobidass, died in hospital after the incident at Orchard Towers.
