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Woman who strangled friend, dumped body gets 12.5 years’ jail

SINGAPORE — A former derivatives dealer who strangled her close friend to death four years ago, then went to great lengths to dump the body and cover up her deed, was sentenced to 12-and-a-half years’ jail for culpable homicide today (July 16).

SINGAPORE — A former derivatives dealer who strangled her close friend to death four years ago, then went to great lengths to dump the body and cover up her deed, was sentenced to 12-and-a-half years’ jail for culpable homicide today (July 16).

Ang Soo Hoon, 40, admitted to killing property agent Ms Celine Ng Swee Peng, 36, on May 26, 2011 in the unit they shared at West Bay Condominium along West Coast Crescent.

She was convicted of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, dishonestly misappropriating S$1,000 from Ms Ng, and giving a false account of Ms Ng’s disappearance.

The court heard that Ang and Ms Ng had been friends for 16 years, and were in an intimate relationship.

According to Ang, Ms Ng asked her to “help her die” that day, which was also Ms Ng’s birthday.

But Ang failed at smothering her to death with a pillow. When Ms Ng called her “useless”, Ang snapped, locking her arm around Ms Ng’s neck and strangling her to death.

Ang took S$1,000 from Ms Ng and bought a wheelchair to move the body.

Over the next two days, Ang drove around Singapore — including the West Coast and East Coast areas, and Changi — with the intention of finding a spot to dispose of the body.

She eventually dumped the body at Clementi Woods Park, just 400m from their flat.

Ang then began a series of lies to hide her crime. She lied to Ms Ng’s family about her whereabouts and plotted to make it seem as though she had gone overseas, even taking her passport, packing an overnight bag for her and throwing it down the rubbish chute.

Ang even kept up her cover by accompanying Ms Ng’s mother to make a missing person’s report with the police. After that, she continued calling Ms Ng’s mobile number about three times a day to “distract the police”, and called Ms Ng’s mother to update her on her daughter’s “status”.

Ang also continued to feign ignorance when the media interviewed her about her “missing” friend.

Ms Ng’s skeletal remains were found on July 5 — 41 days after she was killed. An autopsy could not ascertain the cause of death, given the state of decomposition.

Ang was arrested six days later at East Coast Park.

In court today, Deputy Public Prosecutor David Khoo said Ms Ng had not exhibited any signs of suicidal tendencies, as her close friends and family said she was a cheerful person.

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