Lee Harith Gary v Public Prosecutor: Murder Conviction Appeal Dismissed
Lee Harith Gary appealed to the Court of Appeal of Singapore against his conviction for the murder of Teo Siew Peng. The trial judge found him guilty based on evidence of a strained relationship, eyewitness accounts, and his own admissions. The Court of Appeal, comprising Chao Hick Tin JA, Kan Ting Chiu J, and Yong Pung How CJ, dismissed the appeal, finding abundant evidence that Lee was upset and angry with the deceased and had alluded to her death. The court found no grounds to depart from the trial judge's decision.
1. Case Overview
1.1 Court
Court of Appeal1.2 Outcome
Appeal Dismissed
1.3 Case Type
Criminal
1.4 Judgment Type
Grounds of Decision
1.5 Jurisdiction
Singapore
1.6 Description
Appeal against murder conviction. The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal, finding abundant evidence that the appellant was angry with the deceased.
1.7 Decision Date
2. Parties and Outcomes
| Party Name | Role | Type | Outcome | Outcome Type | Counsels |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Prosecutor | Respondent | Government Agency | Appeal Dismissed | Won | Christopher Ong of Deputy Public Prosecutor |
| Lee Harith Gary (alias Lee Cheng Thiam) | Appellant | Individual | Appeal Dismissed | Lost |
3. Judges
| Judge Name | Title | Delivered Judgment |
|---|---|---|
| Kan Ting Chiu | Judge | Yes |
| Chao Hick Tin | Justice of Appeal | No |
| Yong Pung How | Chief Justice | No |
4. Counsels
| Counsel Name | Organization |
|---|---|
| Christopher Ong | Deputy Public Prosecutor |
| Goh Teck Wee | Goh Chang JP and Wong |
| David Rasif | David Rasif and Partners |
4. Facts
- The appellant and the deceased had an intimate relationship that was under strain.
- The deceased wanted to end the relationship because the appellant was over-possessive.
- The appellant was upset and angry with the deceased in the days leading up to her death.
- The appellant handed a letter and a bird to the deceased's mother.
- The appellant kicked the gate of the deceased's flat and padlocked the gate of Rita's flat.
- The appellant grabbed the deceased by her hair at her office.
- Eyewitnesses saw the appellant holding the legs of the deceased and lifting her on the tenth floor corridor.
5. Formal Citations
- Lee Harith Gary (alias Lee Cheng Thiam) v Public Prosecutor, Cr App 9/2004, [2004] SGCA 51
6. Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Appellant told a friend that he had broken up with his girlfriend for a week. | |
| Appellant delivered a bird and a letter to the deceased's mother. | |
| Appellant repeatedly rang the deceased's flat. | |
| Appellant telephoned Rita to ask if the deceased was with her. | |
| Appellant kicked and damaged the front metal gate of the deceased's flat. | |
| Appellant was outside Rita's flat looking for the deceased and put a padlock on it. | |
| Appellant grabbed the deceased by her hair at her office. | |
| Deceased died from a fall at Block 202 Choa Chu Kang Avenue 1. | |
| Cautioned statement recorded from the appellant. | |
| Appeal dismissed. |
7. Legal Issues
- Reasonable Doubt
- Outcome: The court found no reasonable doubt in the prosecution's case.
- Category: Substantive
8. Remedies Sought
- Appeal against conviction
9. Cause of Actions
- Murder
10. Practice Areas
- Criminal Law
- Appeals
11. Industries
- No industries specified
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 |
|---|---|
| Criminal Procedure Code (Cap 68, 1985 Rev Ed) | Singapore |
15. Key Terms and Keywords
15.1 Key Terms
- Murder
- Reasonable doubt
- Strained relationship
- Eyewitness
- Confession
15.2 Keywords
- Murder
- Criminal Law
- Singapore
- Appeal
- Conviction
17. Areas of Law
| Area Name | Relevance Score |
|---|---|
| Murder | 95 |
| Criminal Law | 90 |
| Evidence Law | 70 |
| Relationship Dispute | 60 |
16. Subjects
- Criminal Law
- Homicide