Kovan murder suspect charged in court

SINGAPORE – The Kovan murder suspect, suspended police officer Iskandar Rahmat, was formally charged in the Subordinate Courts this morning (July 15) for the murders of Tan Boon Sin and his son, Tan Chee Heong, last Wednesday. He faces the death penalty if found guilty. Responding to media queries, the police confirmed that following his arrest and the decision to charge him in court, Iskandar, 34, has been "formally interdicted from service today". "As court proceedings against Iskandar are ongoing, we should let the law take its course, and not engage in speculation that could perpetuate misleading information that may cause further distress to the families involved in the case," said the police in a statement. "Media and members of the public are urged to let the victims’ families have the privacy and space to grieve their loss,” added the police. Iskandar arrived at court in an unmarked police car at around 9.45am and appeared in court at 10am. Dressed in a dark T-shirt, and with his hands cuffed behind his back, Iskandar showed no emotion as he waited for his charges to be read out. He was then formally charged with the murder of motor workshop owner Tan Boon Sin, 67, at 3.38pm on July 10, and with the elder Tan’s son, 42-year-old Tan Chee Heong, at 3.38pm on July 10. Iskandar left court around 11am, again under close guard by plainclothes officers. He will be back in court next Monday (July 22) for further mention. Under Section 302 of the penal code, the crime of murder is punishable with death. The elder Tan was found dead in his home on Hillside Drive in the Kovan area last Wednesday, while the body of his son was found nearly a kilometre away outside Kovan MRT station, where he had been dragged under the getaway car driven by the murder suspect. Iskandar, 34, fled to Johor Bahru that same evening and was arrested by Malaysian police at a restaurant in Danga Bay at around 11.30pm on Friday night after a 54-hour manhunt and was extradited back to Singapore the following day. The Singapore Police Force also revealed on Saturday that Iskandar is a 14-year veteran in the police force who held the rank of senior staff sergeant before his suspension. The police said that, at the time, Iskandar had been taken off frontline duties as he was facing an internal investigation over his failure to declare his financial troubles, and he was declared a bankrupt last Thursday, the day after the murders.