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Singapore

Man gets 10 years' jail for stabbing wife to death, was suffering from delusional disorder

Man gets 10 years' jail for stabbing wife to death, was suffering from delusional disorder

Krishnan Raju taken back to his home at Loyang Gardens condominium in November 2017. (Photo: TODAY/Koh Mui Fong)

SINGAPORE: A man who stabbed his wife to death as he believed she was having an affair was sentenced to 10 years' jail on Friday (Sep 18) for culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

Krishnan Raju, 53, was suffering from delusional disorder of the jealous type at the time, which substantially impaired his mental responsibility for the act, the judge found.

Given his medical condition, Justice Hoo Sheau Peng did not impose imprisonment in lieu of caning, and added that she would not have imposed caning even if he had been under 50 and could be caned.

Krishnan had married his wife when she was 17, and was possessive of her throughout their relationship and marriage of 28 years.

Their relationship deteriorated from late 2016, and she later moved out of their bedroom, with Krishnan planting an audio device in her room.

On Oct 26, 2017, he returned home after work and drank gin while reviewing the audio recordings. From what he heard, he believed that his wife was having an affair with another man and she was laughing at him.

When his wife returned home, Krishnan stabbed her in the toilet before dragging her to the bedroom as he wanted her to hear the audio recording.

READ: Man admits stabbing wife to death as he suspected her of having affair

He stabbed her repeatedly and strangled her before delaying his daughter's return home while he fled to Malaysia.

His daughter and her cousin later found his wife's body and Krishnan surrendered himself to the police at Woodlands Checkpoint.

A psychiatrist with the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) found that Krishnan was suffering from delusional disorder of a jealous type, that substantially impaired his mental responsibility for the act.

Even though Krishnan's wife had kept her affair from the family, the psychiatrist found that Krishnan did not have any concrete evidence to conclude that his wife was unfaithful.

The psychiatrist also found evidence of distress and impairment of functioning, as Krishnan was so preoccupied with his wife's unfaithfulness that he could not cope with his driving jobs and began drinking heavily in the weeks leading up to the offence.

The prosecution had asked for 12 years' jail while the defence asked for a maximum of eight.

The judge agreed with the prosecution psychiatrist's diagnosis that Krishnan was suffering from acute alcohol intoxication at the time, which contributed to the offending and impaired his attention or memory.

"I also note that the accused was, and is, remorseful," said Justice Hoo. "This is demonstrated by his attempts to kill himself after the attack, his surrender to the authorities the very next day, his expressions of remorse in his statements and his plea of guilt."

For culpable homicide not amounting to murder, he could have been jailed for life.

Source: CNA/ll/ta

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