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Man in Teck Whye temple killing gets 14 years’ jail, 6 strokes of cane

SINGAPORE — The gold chains on the religious statues and loaded donation box at a Chinese temple in Teck Whye Lane caught the eye of a man who had been unemployed for four months. So he hatched a plan to break into the temple to steal them.

Police personnel bringing Teck Whye Lane Temple murder suspect Loh Suan Lit, 47, to Blk 15, Marsiling  Lane for a re-enactment in this file photo. TODAY file photo

Police personnel bringing Teck Whye Lane Temple murder suspect Loh Suan Lit, 47, to Blk 15, Marsiling Lane for a re-enactment in this file photo. TODAY file photo

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SINGAPORE — The gold chains on the religious statues and loaded donation box at a Chinese temple in Teck Whye Lane caught the eye of a man who had been unemployed for four months. So he hatched a plan to break into the temple to steal them.

But his attempt at theft not only failed, it led to him killing a 53-year-old who caught him in the act when he was about to escape.

For that, Loh Suan Lit, 49, was sentenced to 12 years’ jail and six strokes of the cane for culpable homicide not amounting to murder on Monday (Jan 15) in causing the death of Tan Poh Huat, a temple helper, on Feb 14, 2016.

On Monday, Loh was also given an additional two years’ imprisonment for breaking into a vegetarian food stall in Beauty World Shopping Centre on Feb 3 that year and stealing S$812 worth of items.

His total jail sentence of 14 years started from his date of remand on Feb 26, 2016.

Court documents showed that Loh, who was last employed as a cleaner at the National University Hospital in October 2015, had financial difficulty and was receiving a financial aid of S$350 a month from the Community Development Council.

Struggling to make ends meet, he decided to steal from the Choa Chu Kang Combined Temple.

Armed with a hammer, saw, screwdriver and chisel on Feb 13, Loh went to the temple at 10pm planning to steal, only to find that there were still people there.

He returned to the temple at about 2.30am on Feb 14. After scaling the walls to gain entry, he used his tools to pry open several locked doors in a bid to get to the gold chains and donation boxes. He stopped when he realised he was making too much noise and decided to leave the temple.

Before Loh could escape, Tan — a divorcee sleeping on the temple grounds — spotted the thief and called out at him. In a panic, Loh used a tool to hit Tan repeatedly. He escaped after Tan became unresponsive after multiple blows. He disposed of his tools later that day.

According to an autopsy report by forensic pathologist Dr George Paul, the victim suffered 93 external injuries — including a flattened nose, a burst right eyeball, and a depressed fracture on his skull. Many of his bruises and wounds displayed saucer-shaped marks that appeared to be inflicted with a hammer. Dr Paul added that Tan’s neck injuries proved to be fatal.

Loh’s identity was established through video footage from CCTVs installed in and around the temple and the neighbouring public housing blocks. He was arrested 10 days later on Feb 24, 2016, at the Woodlands Checkpoint upon his return from Johor.

In sentencing Loh, High Court Judge Chua Lee Ming said he accepted Loh’s attack on the deceased was “not premeditated” and that he “panicked” when he was discovered.

But, describing the attack as “both brutal and vicious” and that Loh “bludgeoned the deceased to death”, Justice Chua said: “I cannot ignore the fact that your attack on the deceased resulted in no less than 93 external injuries to the deceased’s head and body, with the majority of the injuries being caused to the head.”

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