An 80-year-old man who fled Singapore after fatally stabbing a debtor more than three decades ago has finally returned to face justice. Ng Kwang Keng, a former illegal moneylender, pleaded guilty on Monday to a reduced charge of voluntarily causing grievous hurt with a weapon, CNA reported.
Ng, known in the underworld as Tai Kong, was originally charged with murder over the death of 27-year-old Lim Kim Leng, who owed him around S$22,000. The incident occurred on November 6, 1990, when Ng, then 45, went to collect the debt with two accomplices. An argument erupted at the void deck of Lim’s block, escalating into a physical altercation. During the scuffle, Ng stabbed Lim in the upper thigh with a knife, causing severe bleeding. Lim later collapsed and died a month later from multiple organ failure linked to the wound.
According to reports, Ng fled Singapore the same day, confessing to a friend over the phone that he had stabbed Lim before crossing into Johor Bahru, Malaysia. He remained in Malaysia for over 30 years.
Ng was eventually detained under Malaysia’s Immigration Act in Johor Bahru. In April 2022, Malaysian authorities sought Singapore’s assistance to deport him. He was handed over to Singapore police in December 2023 and charged the following day.
Deputy public prosecutors Terence Chua and Emily Koh highlighted Ng’s “degree of premeditation,” noting that he brought a knife to the confrontation and fled the scene. “The accused absconded for an extended period of 33 years. This was not a voluntary surrender,” they told the court.
Prosecutors recommended a jail term of six-and-a-half to eight years, with an additional six months in lieu of 12 strokes of the cane. Caning cannot be imposed as Ng is over 50.
Ng’s lawyers, Prakash Otharam and Rohit Kumar Singh, urged the court to limit his sentence to five years and one month, citing his age, poor health, and chronic medical conditions, including a high risk of stroke. They also emphasized his “genuine remorse” in pleading guilty.
Sentencing has been adjourned to December 30, pending clarification on Ng’s remand period and medical condition. If convicted, he faces life imprisonment or up to 10 years in jail, and may also be fined.
