Through the Imei number of the cell phone of Cao Ruyin, police tracked down five Sarawakians, one of whom had sold the phone to a second-hand shop in Geylang. -- ST PHOTO: LAU FOOK KONG
ON HIS Sunday off on Feb 17 last year, construction worker Cao Ruyin, 40, visited a friend in Geylang. He never made it back to his dormitory in Yew Tee.
While walking to the Kallang MRT station at about 8pm, the friends were set upon by a g ang of robbers.
While 44-year-old Wu Jun managed to flee, Mr Cao was not so lucky.
His friend found him later lying unconscious at an open area near Geylang Drive. He slipped into coma and died in Tan Tock Seng Hospital six days later of head injuries.
General workers Galing Kujat and Jabing Kho, both 25, went on trial in the High Court on Monday for murder.
Three other Sarawakians have been sentenced to jail terms ranging from 3 1/2 years to six years in jail for committing robbery with hurt. They were also caned.
Salesman Ben Lim Hoo Chiang, 27, testified that Vencent Anding, 24, came to his second-hand shop on Feb 24 and offered him a Nokia cell phone.
Mr Lim handed over $200 and Vencent agreed to repay $220 in a week's time to redeem the phone.
A police check on its International Mobile Equipment Identity (Imei) number the next day revealed that it belonged to Mr Cao and Vencent was arrested.
His four accomplices were subsequently nabbed.
Galing and Jabing are not denying robbing Mr Cao but are insisting that his death was accidental.
