Man charged with kicking woman's face in Teck Whye Lane flat, leading to her death
SINGAPORE - A man who allegedly kicked a woman's face, causing her to suffer a head injury leading to her death, has been charged.
Abu Talib Johari, 55, was first charged on July 4 with one count of voluntarily causing grievous hurt to Madam Rupiah Buang, 59.
He allegedly did so between 6pm and 7pm on June 29, inside an HDB flat at Block 9 Teck Whye Lane.
The charge sheet did not state the relationship between Talib, a Singaporean, and Madam Rupiah.
Court records show that after Talib was charged, he was remanded at Changi Prison Complex Medical Centre for medical examination.
When the case was heard again on Aug 1, a police prosecutor said they had received an Institute of Mental Health report on Talib.
The police prosecutor asked for six weeks' adjournment to complete investigations, and for no bail to be offered to Talib.
Top stories
Swipe. Select. Stay informed.
World Trump modifies reciprocal tariffs ahead of deadline; rate on Singapore likely to remain at 10%
Singapore 'For one last time, let's go home': Tears, laughs as last scheduled Jetstar Asia flight touches down
Singapore Over half of job applications by retrenched Jetstar Asia staff led to offers or interviews: CEO
Singapore No entry: ICA to bar high-risk, undesirable travellers from boarding S'pore-bound ships, flights
Business More new homes are coming up in northern Singapore
Business OCBC Q2 profit drops 7% to $1.82b as interest rates fall, to pay lower interim dividend
Asia Thailand seeks neutral venue for border talks with Cambodia
Singapore 'Switching careers just as I became a dad was risky, but I had to do it for my family'
This was because he had allegedly committed a serious offence, which was unprovoked and targeted a vulnerable part of the victim's body, said the prosecutor.
The prosecutor added that as two of Talib's children witnessed the alleged crime, there would be concerns of witness tampering if he was released on bail.
Talib, who did not have a lawyer, attended court via video link while in remand. He remained stoic as the prosecutor spoke.
When asked if he had anything to say in response, Talib said via a Malay interpreter: 'I'm pleading with Your Honour's leniency to allow me to return home, as I need to settle a lot of things, including utility bills.'
District Judge Eugene Teo replied: 'All those matters will now have to wait.
'I agree with what the prosecution in this case said, that bail should not be offered given the nature of the charge.'
If convicted, Talib can be jailed for up to 10 years, fined and caned.
His case will be mentioned again on Sept 12.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
31 minutes ago
- Straits Times
Musk's X must face part of lawsuit over child pornography video
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox FILE PHOTO: 'X' logo is seen on the top of the headquarters of the messaging platform X, formerly known as Twitter, in downtown San Francisco, California, U.S., July 30, 2023. REUTERS/Carlos Barria/File Photo A federal appeals court on Friday revived part of a lawsuit accusing Elon Musk's X of becoming a haven for child exploitation, though the court said the platform deserves broad immunity from claims over objectionable content. While rejecting some claims, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco said X, formerly Twitter, must face a claim it was negligent by failing to promptly report a video containing explicit images of two underage boys to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). The case predated Musk's 2022 purchase of Twitter. A trial judge had dismissed the case in December 2023. X's lawyers did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Musk was not a defendant. One plaintiff, John Doe 1, said he was 13 when he and a friend, John Doe 2, were lured on SnapChat into providing nude photos of themselves to someone John Doe 1 thought was a 16-year-old girl at his school. The SnapChat user was actually a child pornography trafficker who blackmailed the plaintiffs into providing additional explicit photos. Those images were later compiled into a video that was posted on Twitter. According to court papers, Twitter took nine days after learning about the content to take it down and report it to NCMEC, following more than 167,000 views, court papers showed. Circuit Judge Danielle Forrest said section 230 of the federal Communications Decency Act, which protects online platforms from liability over user content, didn't shield X from the negligence claim once it learned about the pornography. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. World Trump deploys nuclear submarines in row with Russia World 'Optimistic' Bessent says US has makings of a deal with China Asia Asia-Pacific economies welcome new US tariff rates, but concerns over extent of full impact remain Singapore Man in SAF custody after allegedly vaping on bus while in army uniform Asia 'Like me? Approach me directly, okay?': Inside a matchmaking event for China's wealthy Opinion America is tearing down another great public institution Opinion Quiet zones in public spaces can help people recharge in the city Tech Reporting suspected advanced cyber attacks will provide a defence framework: Shanmugam "The facts alleged here, coupled with the statutory 'actual knowledge' requirement, separates the duty to report child pornography to NCMEC from Twitter's role as a publisher," she wrote for a three-judge panel. X must also face a claim its infrastructure made it too difficult to report child pornography. It was found immune from claims it knowingly benefited from sex trafficking, and created search features that "amplify" child pornography posts. Dani Pinter, a lawyer at the National Center on Sexual Exploitation, which represented the plaintiffs, said in a statement: "We look forward to discovery and ultimately trial against X to get justice and accountability." The case is Doe 1 et al v Twitter Inc et al, 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, No. 24-177. REUTERS
Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Straits Times
Adriana Kugler resigning from US Fed, opening door to Trump appointment
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Ms Adriana Kugler will exit the central bank on Aug 8, before the conclusion of her term. WASHINGTON - The Federal Reserve said on Aug 1 that governor Adriana Kugler is resigning early from her term and will exit the central bank on Aug 8, potentially shaking up what was already a fractious succession process for Fed leadership amid difficult relations with President Donald Trump. The Fed said in a statement that Ms Kugler, who became a governor in September 2023, will leave before her term's conclusion, which was scheduled for Jan 31, 2026. In a press release, the Fed said Ms Kugler will return to Georgetown University as a professor next autumn. Ms Kugler did not attend this week's rate-setting Federal Open Market Committee meeting. Ms Kugler's early departure may shake up the timeline for the succession process now surrounding Fed chair Jerome Powell, whose term ends in May 2026. Mr Trump has threatened to fire Mr Powell repeatedly, believing interest rates should be much lower than they are. Mr Trump will now get to select a Fed governor to replace Ms Kugler and finish out her term. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Tech Reporting suspected advanced cyber attacks will provide a defence framework: Shanmugam Business Singapore's US tariff rate stays at 10%, but the Republic is not out of the woods yet Asia Asia-Pacific economies welcome new US tariff rates, but concerns over extent of full impact remain Business ST explains: How Trump tariffs could affect Singapore SMEs, jobs and markets Asia Indonesia's Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki erupts Singapore Thundery showers expected on most days in first half of August Singapore Synapxe chief executive, MND deputy secretary to become new perm secs on Sept 1 Singapore 5 women face capital charges after they were allegedly found with nearly 27kg of cocaine in S'pore Some speculation has centred on the idea Mr Trump might pick a potential future chair to fill that slot as a holding place. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the Fed appointment, although Mr Trump said later he was happy to have an open slot to fill. 'I would not read any political motivation into what (Kugler is) doing, although the consequence of what she's doing is she's calling Trump's bluff,' said Mr Derek Tang, an analyst at LH Meyer, a research firm. 'She's putting the ball in his court and saying, look, you're putting so much pressure on the Fed, and you want some control over nominees, well, here's a slot.' The mechanics of filling the soon-to-be open governor role have a number of moving parts that make it hard to say how Mr Trump will approach finding a replacement for Ms Kugler. Mr Tang noted the president could even fill the position temporarily with a recess appointment while the Senate, responsible for confirming Board of Governors officials, is not in session. There's also some uncertainty about what would happen to someone quickly confirmed to the role given that the term ends early in 2026, although some Fed observers noted a governor can stay in office in an expired term until a replacement has been confirmed. Over recent days, Mr Trump's rhetoric about the Fed has remained heated - he called Mr Powell on Aug 1 'a stubborn MORON' - but he appears to have backed away from his threats to fire the central bank leader. Challenging term In a letter to Mr Trump announcing her resignation, Ms Kugler wrote 'I am proud to have tackled this role with integrity, a strong commitment to serving the public, and with a data-driven approach strongly based on my expertise in labour markets and inflation.' Ms Kugler's time at the Fed was a challenging one as central bankers raised rates aggressively to combat high inflation pressures. Those high rates have put them in the crosshairs of Mr Trump and have caused economic challenges, although inflation pressures have moved much closer to the central bank's 2 per cent target. At the FOMC meeting this week, the Fed maintained its interest rate target range at between 4.25 per cent and 4.5 per cent as policymakers stayed on the sidelines to see how Mr Trump's aggressive regime of large import tax increases will affect the economy and inflation pressures. Two Fed officials opposed that stance and wanted a rate cut, worried that risks to the job market are rising and that the inflation threat posed by tariffs is transient. The Fed's dissenters found some support for their concerns in the release on Aug 1 of weaker-than-expected jobs data that was particularly notable for downward revisions to prior month's job gains. Some Fed officials who spoke on Aug 1 noted the report with concern but said they need to see more evidence the job market is running into trouble before changing their views on monetary policy. Mr Trump reacted to the jobs data with a double-barrelled attack, hitting the Fed for not cutting rates while directing his staff to fire the commissioner of the Labour Department's Bureau of Labour Statistics, claiming - without evidence - the hiring numbers had been rigged. Mr Trump's move rattled markets and raised questions about the future integrity of one of the most important statistical reports financial markets rely upon.
Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Straits Times
Detained Moldovan magnate says he wants to clear his name
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox FILE PHOTO: Leader of the Democratic Party of Moldova Vladimir Plahotniuc delivers a speech during a rally demanding a creation of parliament coalition, in Chisinau, Moldova June 9, 2019. REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko/File Photo CHISINAU - Moldovan business magnate Vladimir Plahotniuc said on Friday that he wanted to return to the ex-Soviet state to clear his name in his first major statement on social media since being detained in Greece on a warrant linked to a mass fraud case. Plahotniuc, a former lawmaker and considered one of Moldova's richest men, is one of the chief suspects in Moldova's "theft of the century", the disappearance in 2014 of $1 billion from the Moldovan banking system -- the equivalent at the time of 12% of the ex-Soviet state's GDP. Last week, he agreed to be extradited to Moldova and pledged to cooperate with international judicial authorities. Moldova's government, which wants to join the European Union by 2030, had long sought his return. "I want to return to the country in order to prove my innocence to law enforcement authorities or at least what remains of them after so-called reforms," Plahotniuc wrote. He described all allegations against him as being based on "slander and political hatred". He also suggested that authorities would try to drag the extradition process out to ensure his return to Moldova came after a September 28 election in which pro-European President Maia Sandu's Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) may lose its majority in parliament. He said authorities feared his return to the country might "expose the truth" about the criminal case. The press spokesman for the president's PAS party, Adriana Vlas, dismissed Plahotniuc's comments, saying the country wanted the justice system "to act, with the law in the forefront." Plahotniuc, 59, who fled Moldova in 2019, was arrested last month at the Athens airport while on his way to Dubai. An Interpol red notice was issued against him based on accusations that include participation in a criminal organisation, money laundering and fraud. Plahotniuc was the leader of Moldova's Democratic party from 2016-2019, part of the governing coalition at the time, and served as deputy speaker of parliament. REUTERS
