Woman says lover was attacked in her flat

Love triangle man beaten three weeks before his face was slashed by an alleged hitman, court told

Ms Audrey Chen Ying Fang said she was at home with Mr Joshua Koh Kian Yong on April 8, 2016, when businessman Lim Hong Liang's son and nephew Ron turned up. She said Ron assaulted Mr Koh for 10 to 15 minutes, causing injuries like a broken nose.
Ms Audrey Chen Ying Fang said she was at home with Mr Joshua Koh Kian Yong on April 8, 2016, when businessman Lim Hong Liang's son and nephew Ron turned up. She said Ron assaulted Mr Koh for 10 to 15 minutes, causing injuries like a broken nose. ST PHOTOS: KELVIN CHNG
Businessman Lim Hong Liang (top) and mover Ong Hock Chye (above) are on trial for alleged involvement in a conspiracy to cause grievous hurt to Mr Joshua Koh.
Businessman Lim Hong Liang (above) and mover Ong Hock Chye are on trial for alleged involvement in a conspiracy to cause grievous hurt to Mr Joshua Koh.
Ms Audrey Chen Ying Fang said she was at home with Mr Joshua Koh Kian Yong on April 8, 2016, when businessman Lim Hong Liang's son and nephew Ron turned up. She said Ron assaulted Mr Koh for 10 to 15 minutes, causing injuries like a broken nose.
Businessman Lim Hong Liang and mover Ong Hock Chye (above) are on trial for alleged involvement in a conspiracy to cause grievous hurt to Mr Joshua Koh.

A 32-year-old man who was dating a businessman's girlfriend was assaulted in her apartment just three weeks before his face was slashed by an alleged hitman, a district court heard yesterday.

The woman, Ms Audrey Chen Ying Fang, 27, said she was at home with Mr Joshua Koh Kian Yong, 32, on April 8, 2016, when two men - whom she identified as the businessman's son and nephew Ron - turned up at the flat.

Ron assaulted Mr Koh for 10 to 15 minutes, causing injuries like a broken nose, while the son - who was not named - played with her dog.

The jobless woman told a district court yesterday that Ron said to Mr Koh: "I was sent here to kill you."

At the time, Ms Chen shared a flat with her other boyfriend, businessman Lim Hong Liang, 54, who owns SNL Logistics. Lim and mover Ong Hock Chye, 47, are on trial for alleged involvement in a conspiracy to cause grievous hurt to Mr Koh on April 30, 2016.

Mr Koh's face was slashed with a penknife, causing permanent disfiguration, in Townshend Road near Little India at around 1am that day.

Taking the stand on the first day of the trial, Ms Chen told District Judge Chay Yuen Fatt that she was a beauty queen who won the inaugural Miss Mermaid pageant.

She said a friend introduced her to Lim in mid-2014 and they soon became intimate.

The court heard that the businessman employed her as an "admin executive" in November 2014. Even though she did not report to work, he paid her about $2,000 monthly and Central Provident Fund contributions of about $900 a month.

Ms Chen told the court he bought her a white Mercedes-Benz in February 2016. She moved in with Lim in January 2016 at an apartment at The Parc Condominium in West Coast Walk with a maid and a dog.

Lim also gave her other items, including credit cards and cash.

She became Mr Koh's girlfriend in the same month he was attacked. While Lim was overseas, Mr Koh went to the flat to see her on April 8, 2016. Later that evening, she heard a gate opening and two men - Lim's son and Ron - appeared at the entrance of her bedroom.

She told Judge Chay that Ron started to kick and punch Mr Koh. By the time Ron stopped the attack, the bedroom wall and floor were stained with Mr Koh's blood. She added: "I was in a state of shock... Josh didn't retaliate."

Mr Koh was taken to hospital and he called the police who arrived later that evening.

When Deputy Public Prosecutor Tan Wen Hsien asked Ms Chen if she knew why Ron assaulted Mr Koh, she replied: "I don't know Ron... I believe it's because of Mr Lim." Ms Chen told the court that after the assault, she received a few voice messages, which were played in court. In one, a man says: "You brought a man to sleep while I was overseas. I provided you with everything... Do some reflection."

Offenders convicted of being part of a conspiracy to cause grievous hurt with a weapon can be jailed for life or jailed for up to 15 years and fined or caned.

The trial resumes today.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on May 16, 2018, with the headline Woman says lover was attacked in her flat. Subscribe