Death of Upper Bukit Timah twins: Father has murder charges reduced to culpable homicide
On Jan 27, 2022, Xavier Yap Jung Houn (third from left) was taken to the scene where the bodies of his two sons were found.
SINGAPORE — A man accused of murdering his 11-year-old twins near a playground in Upper Bukit Timah had his charges reduced to culpable homicide not amounting to murder on Tuesday (Feb 28).
Xavier Yap Jung Houn, 49, is accused of causing the deaths of his two sons by strangling them at a covered canal at Greenridge Crescent Playground on Jan 21, 2022.
According to the charge sheets, he did so with the intention of causing their deaths.
The boys Yap Kai Shern Aston and Yap E Chern Ethan were found dead near a playground at Greenridge Crescent in Upper Bukit Timah that Saturday, prompting the deployment of Gurkhas and the police's K-9 unit.
Yap was arrested a day later over the deaths of his twin sons, who reportedly had special needs.
He is now defended by lawyer Choo Si Sen, having been represented by Anil Singh Sandhu previously.
Murder carries the death penalty.
Culpable homicide not amounting to murder carries penalties of life imprisonment and caning, or up to 20 years' jail and a fine or caning.
If the act was carried out without any intention to cause death, an offender can be given up to 15 years' jail, a fine, caning, or any combination of these punishments. CNA
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