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Kovan murder trial: Judge questions accused’s robbery claim

SINGAPORE — Alleged double murderer Iskandar Rahmat’s defence that his original plan was to rob and flee was put under scrutiny by the trial judge today (Nov 11), who grilled the former cop on why he had not taken several “golden opportunities” to see his scheme through.

Alleged murderer Iskandar Rahmat leaves the Subordinate Courts on July 15, 2013. TODAY file photo

Alleged murderer Iskandar Rahmat leaves the Subordinate Courts on July 15, 2013. TODAY file photo

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SINGAPORE —  Alleged double murderer Iskandar Rahmat’s defence that his original plan was to rob and flee was put under scrutiny by the trial judge today (Nov 11), who grilled the former cop on why he had not taken several “golden opportunities” to see his scheme through.

Justice Tay Yong Kwang’s series of questions for Iskandar, 36, came after the questioning of witnesses in the trial drew to a close today, leaving both parties to make their final submissions on Nov 23.

While Iskandar claims that he stabbed car workshop owner Tan Boon Sin, 67 — and later, his son Chee Heong, 42 — in self-defence on July 10, 2013, prosecutors are arguing that murder was always part of his plan to snuff out the chances he could be identified. 

The court was told Iskandar owed the bank more than S$60,000 and was facing the possibility of being sacked from the police force when he allegedly committed the crime.

Today, Justice Tay zeroed in on four instances where Iskandar could have grabbed the bag of money amounting to S$200,000 from the older Tan’s Hillside Drive home and escaped after successfully duping the victim to remove the cash from a safe deposit box at Certis CISCO.

(Click to enlarge)

When they first arrived at Tan’s home, the bag was placed beside the staircase. 

Iskandar had the “perfect opportunity” to take the bag and make a run for it after asking Tan to open the main gate for him to step out for a smoke, the judge said.

Iskandar’s response was that as Tan was standing right next to the bag of money, there was a chance they could get into a scuffle if he did so, and he did not want to hurt Tan.

The judge replied: “You see, the difficulty I have (is) this was a golden opportunity for you to run and go, if that was your plan.”

Iskandar’s second window of opportunity came minutes later, while he was smoking outside the home, added the judge. 

“There was a good five minutes that the main door and car gate were open,” said Justice Tay.

Even after he returned to the home, Iskandar had other chances to carry out his plan, such as when Tan stepped into the kitchen to get Iskandar a straw for his drink, the judge noted.

“At any of those moments, it was the simplest thing to do,” he added.

Shortly after, Tan, who walked with a limp, brought Iskandar upstairs to use the toilet. 

Yet, Iskandar did not try to turn around and run off with the bag, said the judge.

Iskandar again responded that he could not do so as he “felt bad” and did not want to hurt Tan, but Justice Tay noted that Iskandar could have run away without having to push Tan away.

Iskandar also argued that he wanted to wait for an opportunity where Tan was not near the bag of money and “did not think to act when (Tan) was nearby”.

According to Iskandar, the chance never came, as Tan subsequently pulled a knife and charged towards him after wising up to the ruse. 

A struggle ensued in which he stabbed Tan multiple times, when the younger victim came into the house. Iskandar ended up in another wrestle with the younger Tan and also stabbed him before, as prosecutors argue, intentionally reversing a getaway car into him and fleeing.

The younger Tan’s body was dragged along the road for about 1km before being dislodged outside Kovan MRT station. 

Yesterday, Justice Tay also questioned Iskandar’s intention in returning to the crime scene twice in the evening after the killings.

Iskandar said he drove past the first time because he “felt very remorseful that things turned out that way” and he wanted to seek forgiveness.
 
He went past Upper Serangoon Road a second time when he tried to make his way to Toa Payoh as he was “driving aimlessly” in his “confused state of mind”, he added.

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