Public Prosecutor v Lee Harith Gary: Murder Conviction for Pushing Girlfriend from Building
In Public Prosecutor v Lee Harith Gary, the High Court of Singapore convicted Lee Harith Gary of murder for causing the death of his girlfriend. The incident occurred on 2003-03-10 at Block 202 Choa Chu Kang Avenue 1. The court, presided over by Justice Woo Bih Li, found that the prosecution had proven beyond a reasonable doubt that Lee Harith Gary intentionally pushed the victim from the tenth floor of the building. The primary legal issue was whether the accused had the intent to cause the victim's death. The court rejected the defense's argument that the victim committed suicide, citing witness testimony and the accused's own inconsistent statements.
1. Case Overview
1.1 Court
High Court1.2 Outcome
Accused convicted.
1.3 Case Type
Criminal
1.4 Judgment Type
Grounds of Decision
1.5 Jurisdiction
Singapore
1.6 Description
Lee Harith Gary was convicted of murder for causing the death of his girlfriend by pushing her from the tenth floor of a building. The court found the prosecution proved the charge beyond a reasonable doubt.
1.7 Decision Date
2. Parties and Outcomes
| Party Name | Role | Type | Outcome | Outcome Type | Counsels |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Prosecutor | Prosecution | Government Agency | Judgment for Prosecution | Won | Jaswant Singh of Deputy Public Prosecutor Terence Tay of Deputy Public Prosecutor Desmond Lee of Deputy Public Prosecutor |
| Lee Harith Gary (alias Lee Cheng Thiam) | Defendant | Individual | Convicted | Lost |
3. Judges
| Judge Name | Title | Delivered Judgment |
|---|---|---|
| Woo Bih Li | Judge | Yes |
4. Counsels
| Counsel Name | Organization |
|---|---|
| Jaswant Singh | Deputy Public Prosecutor |
| Terence Tay | Deputy Public Prosecutor |
| Desmond Lee | Deputy Public Prosecutor |
| Goh Teck Wee | Goh Chang JP and Wong |
| David Rasif | David Rasif and Partners |
4. Facts
- The accused and the deceased were in a relationship for about a year before the incident.
- The deceased had told friends and family that she wanted to end the relationship with the accused.
- The accused was possessive and controlling of the deceased.
- On the day of the incident, the accused dragged the deceased from her office by her hair.
- Witnesses saw the accused lifting the deceased over the parapet of a building.
- The accused made inconsistent statements to the police about the events leading up to the deceased's death.
- The accused had financial problems and was in debt.
5. Formal Citations
- Public Prosecutor v Lee Harith Gary (alias Lee Cheng Thiam), CC 6/2004, [2004] SGHC 79
6. Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Accused was born | |
| Accused married for the first time | |
| Accused divorced his first wife | |
| Accused married for the second time | |
| Accused and deceased became boyfriend and girlfriend | |
| Deceased signed papers for transfer of her parents' flat | |
| Deceased died | |
| Accused gave statement under section 122(6) of the Criminal Procedure Code | |
| Accused gave statement to the investigating officer | |
| Accused gave statement to the investigating officer | |
| Dr. Tommy Tan examined the Accused at Changi Prison Hospital | |
| Decision Date |
7. Legal Issues
- Intent to cause death
- Outcome: The court found that the accused had the intent to cause the victim's death.
- Category: Substantive
- Voluntariness of Confession
- Outcome: The court ruled that the accused's statements to the police were admissible as evidence.
- Category: Procedural
8. Remedies Sought
- Conviction
- Imprisonment
9. Cause of Actions
- Murder
10. Practice Areas
- Criminal Litigation
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 |
|---|---|
| Evidence Act (Cap 97, 1997 Rev Ed) | Singapore |
| Criminal Procedure Code (Cap 68, 1985 Rev Ed) | Singapore |
15. Key Terms and Keywords
15.1 Key Terms
- Murder
- Intent
- Possessive
- Relationship
- Parapet
- Confession
- Voluntariness
15.2 Keywords
- Murder
- Criminal Law
- Singapore
- High Court
- Intent
- Relationship
- Domestic Violence
17. Areas of Law
| Area Name | Relevance Score |
|---|---|
| Murder | 95 |
| Criminal Law | 70 |
| Evidence Law | 60 |
| Criminal Procedure | 50 |
| Domestic Disputes | 40 |
16. Subjects
- Criminal Law
- Homicide