KTV hostess accused of slashing roommate disputes murder charge
A woman in handcuffs. Photo: istock.
SINGAPORE — A 32-year-old KTV hostess, initially charged with the murder of her roommate, claimed trial on Tuesday (Aug 16) to a reduced charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
Between 11pm on Feb 11, 2013, and 10am the next day, Chinese national Jiang Yumei had allegedly repeatedly slashed Zhao Jinhua, 26, and eventually resulted in the latter’s death. The deceased was also a Chinese national and working as a KTV hostess.
In the prosecution’s opening address on Tuesday, Deputy Public Prosecutor Mohamed Faizal said that evidence would show that Jiang had attacked Zhao by slashing her with a cleaver repeatedly, on her head, face, neck and arms until she collapsed onto the floor of their flat in Geylang Lorong 9.
At some point during the attack, Jiang also used a knife to stab Zhao at least three times. The assault was “sustained and repeated” and part of the attack with the cleaver took place while the deceased was lying motionless on the floor, he said.
After the attack, Jiang also spent time with her friend Jimmy Ho Voo Chan on Feb 12, 2013, before she told him what she had done to the deceased.
He immediately took her to the Bukit Merah Neighbourhood Police Centre where she lodged a police report at about 7.30pm that day.
On that day, she also threw away the deceased’s mobile phones, said DPP Faizal.
Evidence will also be introduced to show that Jiang had made attempts to clean up the scene after the attack, said the DPP.
In addition, evidence from the forensic psychiatrist will also show that she was “not of unsound mind” at the time of offence, and is capable of making her defence, he said.
Taking the stand on Tuesday, senior consultant forensic pathologist Paul Chui noted that Zhao eventually succumbed to the multiple incised wounds found on her. At least three of the injuries inflicted on Zhao were so sufficiently severe that on their own, would have been able to cause death.
Dr Chui added that he found at least 92 injury clusters on Zhao’s body. The injuries she sustained ranged from scratch abrasions, bruises, lacerations to her mouth, shallow stab wounds and a large group of incised wounds that did not damage any bone or muscle, he said.
Zhao also suffered deeper incised wounds, which contacted the underlying bone, on her left cheek, her skull, neck, elbow, fingers, shoulder and upper arm, added Dr Chui.
In his cross-examination of Dr Chui, defence lawyer Leo Cheng Suan said his client’s instructions were that Zhao had sat on Jiang while the latter was sleeping and grabbed her throat.
The deceased also had a knife in her hand, he said.
Jiang then flipped Zhao over – the deceased was estimated to weigh between 42 and 48 kg – before grabbing the knife and hacked her.
Mr Leo will continue to cross-examine Dr Chui on Wednesday.
If convicted, Jiang faces life imprisonment or a jail term of up to 20 years and a fine.
