Man who fled to JB after 2002 slashing gets 7 months' jail

A man who slashed a younger man with a cleaver in 2002 fled to Johor Baru after learning that his victim had died following a separate stabbing incident that same night.

Singaporean Ong Boon Sim ran away as he feared a reprisal attack and was concerned that he might be prosecuted for causing Mr Low Yam Heng's death.

Yesterday, Ong, now 59, was sentenced to seven months' jail after pleading guilty to hurting Mr Low, who was 21 at the time of the attack.

The court heard that a police gazette was issued against Ong last year and he was detained at the Woodlands Checkpoint. No date was specified.

The 2002 attack occurred after an incident at the MG Music Lounge in Tanjong Katong Road. At around 8pm on June 2 that year, Mr Low swung a glass door inwards to enter the premises but it hit Ong.

Mr Low stared at Ong after the incident before entering one of the KTV rooms to join his friends. At about 9.30pm, he left the nightspot for June Cafe a few units away.

Ong went to the cafe about an hour later to buy cigarettes. As he walked past Mr Low's table, the victim hurled vulgarities at the older man. After an exchange of words, Mr Low tossed a chair in Ong's direction and challenged him to a fight.

Annoyed that Mr Low was picking on him for no apparent reason, Ong retrieved a cleaver and confronted the younger man, who fled when he saw the weapon.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Quek Jing Feng said: "The accused caught up with the victim and slashed the victim once on his left thigh with the cleaver. The victim got up and walked away after the attack while the accused stopped his pursuit."

Instead of seeking medical help, Mr Low returned to MG Music Lounge where he became involved in another dispute - this time with its manager.

A brawl broke out and amid the melee, a patron stabbed Mr Low's right thigh once with a knife. The identity of this attacker was not revealed in court documents.

Mr Low left in a taxi and was taken to Changi General Hospital. He died at around 2am of acute haemorrhage due to the stab wound on his right thigh, the court heard.

Said DPP Quek: "This incident did not involve the accused (Ong). However, he came to know of this incident and out of fear of reprisal from the victim's group and possible prosecution for the death of the victim, he fled to Johor Baru."

Yesterday, defence lawyer Luke Lee, in stressing that it was Mr Low who had provoked his client, urged District Judge Kenneth Yap to sentence Ong either to a fine or to a jail term of about two weeks.

Ong intends to appeal against his sentence and was offered bail of $40,000.