SINGAPORE — It would be wrong and unfair to punish Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) servicemen beyond the level of offence already determined by independent and impartial judicial processes, the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) said yesterday as it responded to media reports and readers’ letters on the training-related death of Private Dominique Sarron Lee.

In a letter to TODAY’s Voices section, MINDEF public communications director Lim Chuen Ni noted that some members of the public, including Lee’s family members, have disagreed with the coroner’s findings. “They feel instead that the two SAF regulars should bear greater liability for the cause of death and receive greater punishment,” Ms Lim said.

The coroner found that Lee died from “acute allergic reaction to zinc chloride due to inhalation of zinc chloride fumes” and that the allergic reaction was “unlikely to have been predicted”.

Ms Lim stressed that the punishment given to the offenders has to take the coroner’s findings into account, and that the ministry and SAF would be “overstepping their powers and be legally challenged” were they to do more or otherwise. Where possible, MINDEF would continue to support Lee’s family, she added.

“Each death of our servicemen is greatly regretted but when these incidents arise, it is even more important that we maintain societal trust and integrity in respecting the due independent judicial processes to determine the facts and mete out the appropriate punishment where required,” Ms Lim said, noting that the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) have in the past prosecuted SAF servicemen responsible for causing death due to rash acts or negligence. “In this particular case, AGC decided not to prosecute anyone,” she added.

Lee, a full-time national serviceman, had collapsed with breathing difficulties in April 2012 during a training exercise involving six smoke grenades — thrice the limit specified in the Training Safety Regulations.

On the advice of the AGC, MINDEF has taken disciplinary action against the two servicemen who had breached regulations, “with penalties consistent with other servicemen who have committed similar offences, including fines and delay in promotions”, Ms Lim said.