Shanmugam lays out facts on teen’s death

SINGAPORE— For more than a month, speculation and accusations against the police swirled over the circumstances leading to a 14-year-old’s suicide after he was questioned by the police for an alleged molestation.

On Tuesday (March 1), Home Affairs and Law Minister K Shanmugam sought to put the record straight as he laid out the facts of the case, including how the investigations were conducted in accordance with protocol. Delivering a ministerial statement, he also hit out at the “many falsehoods” perpetuated by various parties, singling out for criticism sociopolitical site The Online Citizen and Law Society of Singapore president Thio Shen Yi.

In his 14-page speech, which lasted almost an hour, Mr Shanmugam also explained why the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) did not rebut the untruths earlier, citing the need to respect the family and the impending Coroner’s Inquiry into Benjamin Lim’s death.

He also provided statistics to show that when it comes to cases involving youths, the police try to avoid criminalising their conduct where possible, and to give them a second chance through rehabilitation. Still, he stressed that the authorities’ relatively tolerant approach should not be seen as licence for young persons to commit crimes.

Separately, Acting Education Minister (Schools) Ng Chee Meng also gave a ministerial statement to address concerns on how Benjamin’s school handled the case. Mr Ng also detailed the schools’ general approach to police investigations involving students.

Nine parliamentary questions had been tabled by Members of Parliament on the case. In all, 16 MPs rose to speak during the two-hour debate on a matter that has captured wide public attention and seen lawyers wading into the discussion on police protocol for interviewing young people.

Benjamin, a Secondary Three student at Northview Secondary School, died hours after he returned home from being questioned by the police on Jan 26 for allegedly molesting an 11-year-old girl the day before. His body was found at the foot of the Housing and Development Board block in Yishun where he lived.

“This is a very sad case: A young girl has been traumatised; a boy’s life has ended prematurely,” said Mr Shanmugam at the start of his speech. “We must do right, by these two young lives.” He added: “It is tragic that such an incident has taken place. It has been a very trying and distressing period for both families.”

He stressed that the police officers handling Benjamin’s case had acted in accordance with protocol. “There is nothing so far on the evidence to suggest that Benjamin was mistreated by the police ... At this stage, we cannot say that the interview was the specific reason for the suicide. Suicide often involves a very complex set of factors. One has to look at the facts carefully, consult experts, to try and get an assessment as to what happened.”

Rebutting several “deliberate falsehoods” that have been put out by various parties, Mr Shanmugam said it was “sad to see this level of dishonesty and politicisation of this matter”. He added: “The various pronouncements, suggestions, statements which imply, allege that five officers interviewed him, that the police intimidated, pressured Benjamin, into wrongly admitting to guilt ... and that these must have been amongst the reasons why he probably committed suicide. These allegations possibly infringe the principles of sub judice, apart from being highly improper at this stage prior to the Coroner’s Inquiry.”

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The MHA had refrained from commenting on the matter until Tuesday, said Mr Shanmugam. However, given the repeated assertions that challenge the integrity of the police and the number of parliamentary questions filed, Mr Shanmugam said he found it fit to address the House on the matter.

“I think (the ministry was) right (in not discussing the matter earlier). We were observing the law. But others were not so careful. In fact, they were cavalier, which has then required us to come out today and clarify,” he said.

Following the death, the police said they are reviewing whether to allow an appropriate adult to be present when interviewing young persons.

The MHA, which has been tasked to conduct the review, will hold back on taking any positions on the matter until the inquiry is over, Mr Shanmugam said. An MHA spokesperson said the date of the Coroner’s Inquiry has not been determined.

“At the end of the day, every life matters. It matters to the police, it matters to the Government, it matters to all of us,” Mr Shanmugam said. ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY SIAU MING EN