Murder charge against businessman dropped

SINGAPORE: The murder charge against a 45—year—old businessman, Teo Boon Leng, has been dropped.

He had been accused of killing 28—year—old Wong Teck Siong.

Mr Wong’s decomposed body was found in a trolley bag in the waters near a construction site at Resorts World Sentosa on April 16 last year.

The prosecution applied for a discharge not amounting to an acquittal for Teo.

Teo’s lawyers, however, requested for discharge amounting to an acquittal.

Teo was previously charged with murdering Wong at The Caribbean condominium in Keppel Bay Drive between April 1 and 16, 2011.

Two construction workers discovered the trolley bag containing Wong’s body, and alerted their supervisors, who called the police.

Wong’s body was clothed and curled in a foetal position.

On April 18, Teo was arrested and charged in court with murder.

Since then, Teo has been remanded at Changi prison.

Although Teo’s murder charge has been dropped, the prosecution has submitted 15 new charges.

They include depositing a trolley bag containing Wong’s body at sea, failing to report Wong’s death to the police, using Wong’s mobile phone to send false messages and allowing Wong to use his premises for drug consumption.

District Judge Lim Tse Haw will hear arguments from both sides before deciding on whether to grant Teo a discharge not amounting to an acquittal or full acquittal.

Bail of S$50,000 was offered.

Teo will be back in court on August 22.

— CNA/cc