SINGAPORE — A man who was initially charged with murder pleaded guilty today (Jan 9) to a reduced charge of voluntarily causing grievous hurt with a dangerous weapon.

Last year, 60-year-old Eng Bak Siong was charged with an alleged murder that took place in 2001.

He was among a group of men accused of causing the death of 32-year-old Peng Teck Hoe at a market at Lorong 1, Toa Payoh.

The court heard that the attack stemmed from a gambling dispute, and that Eng had thrust a knife two to three times at Peng, stabbing him in the abdomen.

Eng then fled to Malaysia after the attack, and remained on the run till he was arrested by Malaysian police in Johor Bahru for immigration offences and extradited to Singapore in 2013.

Another man involved in the attack, Neo Eng Hwee, was jailed three years and eight months in 2005 after being convicted of having a common intention to voluntarily cause grievous hurt with a dangerous weapon.

At least one other person is still at large.

Eng’s lawyer Sunil Sudheesan asked for the case to be adjourned for him to prepare his client’s mitigation plea.

Eng will be back in court on Jan 27. CHANNEL NEWSASIA