Legal team representing Benjamin Lim’s family in the Coroner’s Inquiry and Media

On Tuesday, the family of the Benjamin Lim, the 14-year-old who was found dead on the late afternoon after he was questioned by the police, their legal representatives and other representatives of the government ministries viewed the CCTV showing the inside of the lift where Benjamin is alleged to have tap at the back of a 11-year-old girl.
Earlier that day, Investigating Officer (IO) Assistant Superintendent (ASP) Mohamed Razif, testified that it was shown through the CCTV recording inside the lift that Benjamin followed the girl into the lift on the afternoon of 25 January. On the way up, Benjamin moved closer to the girl in the lift and dropped his phone. As he picked it up, the girl said that she felt a tap on her left buttock and saw Benjamin’s hand moving away from her. The girl was scared and did not say anything. Although she tried to confront Benjamin before he left the lift, she eventually did not as she was afraid. After getting back home, she cried and called her father, who rushed back home to file a police report on the matter.
However, after viewing the video in private with media outside of the chambers. Mr Lim, father of Benjamin disputed the account in the investigation report by the IO through the family’s counsel, Mr Choo Zheng Xi.
Choo noted that Benjamin’s father is of the view that when Benjamin bent down to pick up his mobile phone in the lift, his hand brushed at the area of the girl’s skirt and that there had been “no bodily contact” between Benjamin and the 11-year-old.
He also noted that Mr Lim had taken issue with the fact that the same video viewed by different parties had resulted in two differing interpretations, with the police stating in the investigation report that Benjamin had clearly “touched the lower back portion of the girl”.
State Coroner Marvin Bay noted Mr Lim’s dispute with the investigation report and what was shown in the CCTV footage.
State Counsel, Wong Woon Kwong stood and pointed out that the IO stands by his description of events that took place in the lift between Benjamin and the 11-year-old girl. This was noted by the State Coroner as well.
Although the family is of the view that the video should be aired in open hearing where members of the public can view the video as well, the court decided that the video should be viewed in private as to protect the identity of the 11-year-old girl. It is noted that there has been a gag order issued on Tuesday to protect the identity of Benjamin’s family members as well as the girl.
Earlier in March this year,  Minister of Home Affairs and Law, Mr K Shanmugan spoke in Parliament in regards to the death of Benjamin. He said,

“But is that the right thing to do? To have a public trial by media, at this stage; rebut the family in public and add to the family’s grief? The answer, in good sense, is clearly no. We can understand that the family, in their grief, may genuinely believe some things, and perhaps even assert them in public. But we chose not to respond. These matters can be dealt with at the Coroner’s Inquiry. And even at this stage, I have decided that we should not release the CCTV footages of what happened in the lift, out of respect for Benjamin’s memory and to help the young girl as well.”

Subscribe
Notify of
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
You May Also Like

SBF chief: Corporate tax cuts provision may not make it into Budget 2020

The wants of businesses in the upcoming Budget 2020 provision differed to…

海鲜盒内藏玄机! 马国罗厘过关遇截查 发现大量漏税烟

海鲜盒内藏玄机!一辆载送海鲜的罗厘在经过大士关卡时,遭拦截检查,移民与关卡局人员在海鲜保丽龙盒内起获大量漏税烟。 移民与关卡局今日(26日)于脸书上发文,指在上周五(22日)起获漏税烟。 当时执法人员在大士关卡拦截一辆马国注册的罗厘,内有海鲜并使用保丽龙盒子装。然而在盒内却暗藏玄机,发现了1千530条以及560包漏税烟。 当局也晒出相关照片,从照片可见盒内上层是一些散落的鲜虾作掩饰,然而鲜虾下却有一层塑料,塑料内就是漏税烟。 这起案件已转交给关税局作进一步调查。 当局也表示,类似的手法已非首例,因此引起当局的关注。当局续指,将会持续对乘客、货物、车辆进行例行检查,确保我国的安全。

Police: Keep getais and politics separate

Getai performances will not be allowed before, during or after election rallies,…

鄞义林:比较台湾和新加坡的公共医疗服务

鄞义林撰文,北雁译 在亚洲新闻台看到一篇文章,提到名为Serynn Guay的34岁女青年,她其中一项烦恼,是“无法预测”的医疗开销。 她说,“我们不知道当我们年纪大些时,究竟需要多少才够用… 我们能安稳地退休吗?我们的积蓄是否足够?” 她补充,“有可能接下来20年都要继续工作,即使孩子已经大学毕业,我们还要继续为储蓄退休和其他生活开销打拼。” 这里让我和大家分享台湾的情况。 在台湾,医疗保健是免费的,在现有的国家保健和退休计划下,一个从现在起工作40年的人,大约能以现有薪资的60巴仙养老。 所以,台湾人不会感受到新加坡人一样的忧虑。他们知道只要身体不适,都能接受有素质的医疗服务,无需感到恐惧,或担心负担不起而不敢去看医生。 他们也知道,到了退休年龄就真的可以退休,他们也很向往退休生活。 但是在我国,国人缴税、也支付保健储蓄和终身健保,但是还是很怕看医生。 在台湾,员工只需为医疗保险支付薪资的一巴仙,就能享有免费医疗保健。但是在新加坡,我们把薪资的8-10.5巴仙都放入保健储蓄,也不能享有完全免费的医保。而且,还要自掏腰包负担最昂贵的医疗服务。…