Public Prosecutor v Tay Kah Tiang: Drug Trafficking - Presumption of Trafficking
In Public Prosecutor v Tay Kah Tiang, the High Court of Singapore convicted Tay Kah Tiang of drug trafficking. Tay was arrested in a hotel room with heroin. The court found that Tay had not raised a reasonable doubt sufficient to rebut the presumption of trafficking and sentenced her to death.
1. Case Overview
1.1 Court
High Court1.2 Outcome
The accused was convicted and sentenced to suffer death.
1.3 Case Type
Criminal
1.4 Judgment Type
Grounds of Decision
1.5 Jurisdiction
Singapore
1.6 Description
Tay Kah Tiang was convicted of drug trafficking after heroin was found in her hotel room. The court found she failed to rebut the presumption of trafficking.
1.7 Decision Date
2. Parties and Outcomes
| Party Name | Role | Type | Outcome | Outcome Type | Counsels |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Prosecutor | Prosecution | Government Agency | Judgment for the Prosecution | Won | Christina Koh, Sia Aik Kor |
| Tay Kah Tiang | Defendant | Individual | Convicted | Lost | Christina Goh Siok Leng, David Lee Kay Tuan |
3. Judges
| Judge Name | Title | Delivered Judgment |
|---|---|---|
| Choo Han Teck | Judicial Commissioner | Yes |
4. Counsels
| Counsel Name | Organization |
|---|---|
| Christina Koh | Attorney-General's Chambers |
| Sia Aik Kor | Attorney-General's Chambers |
| Christina Goh Siok Leng | Christina Goh & Co |
| David Lee Kay Tuan | Ang & Lee |
4. Facts
- The accused was arrested in a hotel room with heroin.
- The heroin weighed 373.88g gross.
- Items consistent with drug consumption and trafficking were found in the room.
- The accused admitted ownership of the drugs in a statement.
- The accused claimed she was holding the drugs for another person.
- The court found the accused's explanation unbelievable.
5. Formal Citations
- Public Prosecutor v Tay Kah Tiang, CC 68/2000, [2000] SGHC 233
6. Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Couple checked into the hotel | |
| Accused arrested in hotel room | |
| Statement recorded from accused | |
| Statement recorded from accused | |
| Judgment issued |
7. Legal Issues
- Drug Trafficking
- Outcome: The court found that the accused had not raised any reasonable doubt that was sufficient to rebut the presumption of trafficking.
- Category: Substantive
- Sub-Issues:
- Presumption of trafficking
8. Remedies Sought
- Conviction
- Death penalty
9. Cause of Actions
- Drug Trafficking
10. Practice Areas
- Criminal Law
11. Industries
- Hospitality
12. Cited Cases
| Case Name | Court | Affirmed | Citation | Jurisdiction | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No cited cases | |||||
13. Applicable Rules
| Rule Name |
|---|
| No applicable rules |
14. Applicable Statutes
| Statute Name | Jurisdiction |
|---|---|
| No applicable statutes | |
15. Key Terms and Keywords
15.1 Key Terms
- Heroin
- Drug trafficking
- Presumption of trafficking
- Hotel room
- Black bag
- Weighing scale
- Empty plastic sachets
15.2 Keywords
- Drug trafficking
- Heroin
- Singapore
- Criminal law
16. Subjects
- Criminal Law
- Drug Offences
17. Areas of Law
- Criminal Law
- Drug Trafficking