Man pleads guilty to dumping dying employee on pavement

SINGAPORE: A sole proprietor of a maintenance and services company pleaded guilty on Monday to dumping his dying employee on a pavement in March 2010.

Fifty—six—year—old Tay Kok Eng also pleaded guilty to two other charges of hiring an illegal immigrant, and failing to ensure safe working conditions.

The body of 42—year—old Mr Chelladurai Lenin was found abandoned at 50 Upper Changi Road East on 30 March 2010.

The Indian national was hired by Tay as a general worker for renovation and maintenance works.

He fell from a ladder, measuring 2.8 metres, while removing light bulbs at a private condominium.

Court documents said Mr Lenin refused hospital treatment as he feared being deported.

Tay then brought Mr Lenin to private clinics and even called Mr Lenin’s friend to help bring him home.

Tay later placed Mr Lenin at the back of a van, and drove into Upper Changi Road.

He stopped at a pavement and Mr Lenin, who was dying at that point, was deposited there by his friend.

Tay did not step out of the van the entire time.

He later told ambulance operators that he saw someone lying down by the roadside while he was driving.

Tay then drove to the opposite side of the road where he waited for help to arrive before leaving the scene.

Lenin later died from a fractured skull and haemorrhage.

Tay could be jailed up to six months and fined up to S$2,000 for illegally disposing of a dying person or a corpse in a public place.

For hiring an illegal worker, the maximum punishment is a jail term between six months and two years and a fine of S$6,000.

For contravening the Workplace Safety and Health Act, he could be jailed up to two years and fined S$200,000.

— CNA/cc