Jail for drunk man who shoved stranger into Singapore River, causing him to drown
The incidents happened along the Singapore River, in front of Clarke Quay Central shopping mall.
SINGAPORE - Drunk after consuming two cans of beer, a man pushed another intoxicated man he did not know into the Singapore River and caused the latter to drown.
Prosecutors said
Legha Pawan's act on June 30, 2024 , which led to the death of Mr Jasbir Singh, 33, was unprovoked and done for no apparent reason.
On July 16, Legha, 22, was sentenced to two years' and 11 months' jail after he admitted to one charge of voluntarily causing hurt which causes grievous hurt.
Another charge of using criminal force on a woman the same night was taken into consideration for his sentencing.
Both Legha and Mr Singh are Indian nationals. Mr Singh was a construction worker and was married with two young children.
The court heard that Legha had come to Singapore to further his studies, and was enrolled in private educational institution Birmingham Academy at the time.
That evening, Legha and five of his housemates were in the Clarke Quay area, where they bought beer and snacks and chatted on the steps by the riverside. Other acquaintances soon joined them.
Top stories
Swipe. Select. Stay informed.
Singapore Acute psychiatry services to be expanded across all healthcare clusters: MOH
Singapore July BTO launch to have over 4,600 balance flats, 2 BTO projects with under than 3-year wait
Singapore Baby died after mum took abortion pills and gave birth in toilet; coroner records an open verdict
Life S'pore travel agency Beyond Expeditions criticised for planning, safety issues
Business Tycoon Robert Kuok's daughter Kuok Hui Kwong appointed CEO of Shangri-La Asia
Singapore Alleged Toa Payoh cat killer and abuser handed new charge of torturing sixth cat
Singapore 'Kpods broke our marriage, shattered our children': Woman on husband's vape addiction
Singapore Asia-Pacific will need over 230k new pilots, 250k aircraft maintenance technicians by 2042: ICAO chief
Before 10pm, an argument broke out and an intoxicated Legha pulled the hair of one of the women in the group. One of his housemates pulled Legha away and the group quickly dispersed.
Around 10 minutes later, Mr Singh was walking along the river. He had begun drinking heavily after his mother passed away a few months ago, and was intoxicated that night.
Legha returned alone to the spot where he and his friends were and approached Mr Singh, though they did not know each other.
Initially, Legha spoke quietly to Mr Singh, who was standing near the edge of the river with his back turned towards the waters.
Suddenly, Legha pushed Mr Singh once in the chest with both hands, causing him to fall backwards and roll down the steps into the river. He never resurfaced.
Legha fled the scene. He also removed his shirt and discarded it along a pavement to avoid being identified by the police.
A couple who witnessed the scene shouted for help and called for police.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force's Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team started searching for Mr Singh at about 10.35pm. They found his lifeless body at the bottom of the river at 2am the next day.
An autopsy showed he had drowned. He also had multiple lacerations and bruises – including at the back of his head, his neck and right eye – due to the fall.
After fleeing the scene, Legha took the train back to his flat and called one of his housemates to bring his backpack to a neighbouring block. Unaware of what had happened, his housemate did so.
At about 8am the next day, Legha returned to the flat, where he was arrested by the police.
During investigations, he claimed that he pushed Mr Singh as the older man had first grabbed hold onto and damaged his bangle, and had hurled vulgarities about his mother.
However, police investigations revealed no objective evidence supporting his claim.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Jheong Siew Yin pointed out that in any event, Legha could have walked away from Mr Singh.
Calling his actions 'disproportionate and unwarranted', DPP Jheong argued for him to be given 36 to 40 months' jail.
The prosecutor compared Legha's case to that of Jason Ong Bing Qi, 33, a man who
swung his drunken friend to the ground outside a club and caused a fatal head injury.
Ong pleaded guilty to assaulting the woman, also 33, and was sentenced to three years and six months' jail in March 2024.
DPP Jheong said both Legha and Ong had been intoxicated and so were their victims. They also fled the scene after their crimes.
In mitigation, Legha's lawyer Simran Kaur Sandhu said there was no weapon used, and that the push was not intended to target vulnerable parts of Mr Singh's body.
'He does regret that his decision to push the deceased has led to loss of a life,' added Ms Sandhu.
District Judge Janet Wang said this was a tragic case that robbed a struggling young family of its sole breadwinner.
Legha had attacked a vulnerable victim whom he knew he could bully, and had taken out his frustrations with his group on friends on Mr Singh, added Judge Wang.
The judge said: 'Even if the deceased did damage (Legha's) bangle and uttered vulgarities – both of which were not established -– the accused's actions were way in excess of proportion.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
23 minutes ago
- Straits Times
Video of migrant worker tied to forklift sparks outrage in South Korea
Find out what's new on ST website and app. A Sri Lankan man tied to a forklift being lifted off the ground in a brick factory at Naju, South Jeolla Province. A video showing a Sri Lankan man tied to a forklift being lifted off the ground in a brick factory at Naju, South Jeolla Province, sparked public outrage in South Korea on July 24. The short clip, filmed earlier in July and released by a migrant worker's human rights network based in South Jeolla Province on July 24, shows the man bound with vinyl wrap while a forklift hoists and transports him. Laughter can be heard in the background; no one is seen attempting to intervene. According to the group, although it was not captured on video, one person scolded the victim, saying, 'You should say sorry.' The victim, a Sri Lankan man in his 30s, is reportedly suffering from psychological trauma following the incident. 'The worker's basic dignity as a human being was completely disregarded,' the civic group said during a press conference on July 24 morning. 'This is a dehumanising act that treats a migrant worker as a tool, not a person.' The group urged authorities to launch a full investigation and hold the perpetrators accountable. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Business GIC posts 3.8% annualised return over 20 years despite economic uncertainties Business GIC's focus on long-term value aims to avoid permanent loss amid intensifying economic changes Opinion No idle punt: Why Singapore called out cyber saboteur UNC3886 by name Asia Cambodia and Thailand are willing to consider ceasefire: Malaysian PM Anwar Asia Deadly Thai-Cambodian dispute puts Asean's relevance on the line Business MAS' measures spark cautious optimism for Singapore stock market revival: Analysts World Trump and Fed chief Powell bicker during tense central bank visit Life Hulk Hogan, who helped turn pro wrestling into a billion-dollar spectacle, dies at 71 President Lee Jae Myung condemned the video on social media, calling for a thorough investigation. 'I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the video,' Mr Lee said in the Facebook post. 'It is hard to accept that such an incident occurred in a country known as a global cultural powerhouse and a model democracy. This is an intolerable act of violence against a vulnerable minority and a blatant violation of human rights.' He continued, 'The way we treat those who are powerless and in difficult circumstances reflects the true dignity of our society.' Mr Lee vowed that the government, including the Ministry of Employment and Labor, would respond actively to ensure that no human rights violations or labor exploitation occur by taking advantage of workers' visa status. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Straits Times
California ammunition background checks declared unconstitutional by US appeals court
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Guns and ammunition for sale in Sacramento, California. A divided federal appeals court on July 24 said California's first-of-its-kind law requiring firearm owners to undergo background checks to buy ammunition is unconstitutional, violating the Second Amendment right to bear arms. In a 2-1 vote, the ninth US Circuit Court of Appeals in Pasadena, California upheld a lower court judge's permanent injunction against enforcing the law. Circuit Judge Sandra Ikuta said the law 'meaningfully constrains' people's right to keep and bear arms. She also said California failed to show the law was consistent with the country's historical tradition of firearm regulation as required under a 2022 landmark US Supreme Court decision, New York State Rifle and Pistol Association vs Bruen. 'By subjecting Californians to background checks for all ammunition purchases, California's ammunition background check regime infringes on the fundamental right to keep and bear arms,' Ms Ikuta wrote. California officials expressed disappointment. 'Today's decision is a slap in the face to the progress California has made in recent years to keep its communities safer from gun violence,' Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom said in a statement. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Business GIC posts 3.8% annualised return over 20 years despite economic uncertainties Business GIC's focus on long-term value aims to avoid permanent loss amid intensifying economic changes Opinion No idle punt: Why Singapore called out cyber saboteur UNC3886 by name Asia Both Cambodia, Thailand willing to consider ceasefire, says Malaysian PM Anwar Singapore Singapore urges all parties in Thailand-Cambodia border dispute to exercise restraint Business MAS' measures spark cautious optimism for Singapore stock market revival: Analysts World Trump, Fed chief Powell bicker during tense central bank visit Life Hulk Hogan, who helped turn pro wrestling into a billion-dollar spectacle, dies at 71 A spokesperson for state Attorney General Rob Bonta, also a Democrat, said 'our families, schools, and neighborhoods deserve nothing less than the most basic protection against preventable gun violence, and we are looking into our legal options.' All three judges on July 24's panel were appointed by Republican presidents, though appointees of Democratic presidents hold a 9th Circuit majority. California can ask an 11-judge appeals court panel or the Supreme Court to review the decision. The plaintiffs included Ms Kim Rhode, who has won three Olympic gold medals in shooting events, and the California Rifle & Pistol Association. In a joint statement, the group's president and general counsel Chuck Michel called the decision a victory against 'overreaching government gun control,' while Ms Rhode called it 'a big win for all gun owners in California.' Many gun rights groups and 24 mostly Republican-led US states submitted briefs supporting the law's opponents, while a few gun safety groups sided with California. Ms Janet Carter, managing director of Second Amendment litigation at Everytown Law, in a statement said California's law imposed a 'minimal burden,' a US$1 (SS$1.20) fee and one-minute delay, for most firearms owners seeking ammunition. 'Background checks for ammunition sales are common sense,' she said. Voters had in 2016 approved a California ballot measure requiring gun owners to undergo initial background checks to buy ammunition, and buy four-year ammunition permits. Legislators later amended the measure to require background checks for each ammunition purchase. California said it received 191 reports in 2024 of 'armed and prohibited individuals' who were blocked through background checks from buying ammunition. The injunction was issued by US District Judge Roger Benitez in San Diego, who has ruled in several cases in favour of gun owners. An appeals court panel put the injunction on hold during California's appeal. California said several old firearms restrictions supported the background checks. These included colonial era rules requiring licenses to produce gunpowder, the disarmament around 1776 of people who refused to take 'loyalty oaths,' and late-19th century rules requiring government permission to carry concealed weapons. Circuit Judge Jay Bybee dissented from the decision. He accused the majority of flouting Supreme Court guidance by effectively declaring unlawful any limits on ammunition sales, given the unlikelihood a state can point to identical historical analogues. The law 'is not the kind of heavy-handed regulation that meaningfully constrains the right to keep and bear arms,' Mr Bybee wrote. President George W. Bush appointed Ms Ikuta and Mr Bybee to the bench, while President Donald Trump appointed Circuit Judge Bridget Bade, who joined the majority. REUTERS
Straits Times
5 hours ago
- Straits Times
No idle punt: Why Singapore called out cyber saboteur UNC3886 by name
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Singapore's naming of cyber threat group signals to state actors that their infiltration is known and is being countered. Cyber attacks on civilian infrastructure aren't unprecedented, says the writer. When the Government revealed that the country's critical infrastructure was under attack from cyber threat group UNC3886, Singaporeans responded by snapping up those 4-D betting numbers. From a glass-half-full perspective this, at least, showed that the message was heard. This was 'peak Singapore' behaviour, as one commentator put it on X.
