A man was charged yesterday with murdering his wife.

Appearing before a district court via videoconferencing, Chinese national Cui Huan, 24, was accused of killing Ms Liang Xueqiu, 26, at a footpath at Block 211 Boon Lay Place on Thursday. Cui did not display any emotions when the charges were read out to him.

Police had earlier said they received a call for assistance around 6.30pm on Thursday. Officers who arrived at the scene found a woman injured and lying motionless. She was unconscious when taken to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital and pronounced dead at the hospital at 9.58pm.

Officers from the Criminal Investigation Department and Jurong Police Division arrested the man within three hours of the reported incident.

Some residents of the Boon Lay block whom The Sunday Times spoke to on Friday evening said they saw the police cordon off the crime scene on Thursday night.

One resident said he rushed out of his home to try to help the victim, after his younger brother told him about the woman lying motionless on the ground floor.

Mr Mohamed Nasrullah, 20, a student and part-time delivery rider, said that when he arrived at the scene, there were about 10 bystanders. He called the police for help and they arrived about 10 minutes later. Another resident called the Singapore Civil Defence Force.

"The bystanders were standing around without calling the police so I decided to... make the call," said Mr Nasrullah.

He had not seen the victim in the neighbourhood before and was shocked when he was told she had died.

Cui has been remanded and his case is adjourned to Friday.

Those convicted of murder face the death penalty or life imprisonment with caning.