Wah this 89 year old ah pek damn poor thing. Abandoned by his five kids, then stay in eldercare kena bullied by a roommate, then after that got a new roommate, he making milo then the roommate switch off the light, he went nuts, pour hot water at roommate and mcstabby him. now gotta go jail 18 months 🙁
For seven months, they shared a living space, sleeping just metres apart from each other in an eldercare home. But when his roommate turned off the light while Sim Hwa was making himself a hot beverage, the 89-year-old snapped. He was so angry that he threw hot water on Mr Lee Say Fong, also 89, and slashed him with a fruit knife and a chopper.
The attack left Mr Lee with 26 per cent second-degree burns over his chest, back, right shoulder, right arm and face. He also had cuts on his chest, right ankle and left leg.
Sim Hwa, who had been staying at the Kheng Chiu Happy Lodge at Block 70 Tampines Ave 4 since 2011, was sentenced to 18 months’ jail on Thursday (May 4, 2017).
He pleaded guilty to an amended charge of causing hurt to Mr Lee.
Pleading for leniency, Sim’s lawyer Liaw Jin Poh said in his mitigation plea that his client is stricken with multiple illnesses.
He said Sim had lived in constant fear of a roommate who had previously assaulted and injured him, and was a source of constant provocation and bullying. Sim also said that Mr Lee kept knives in the room.
Mr Liaw said the father of five was let down by his family who kicked him out of his house. He was persuaded by his second son to sell the family flat for a larger unit. After selling the flat, his second son and family took all the proceeds of the sale and bought another flat but refused to let Sim know the address of the new home.
Sim then sought help from his third son, who allowed him to stay with him. But the third son migrated to Thailand with his wife sometime in June 2011 and Sim was left without a roof over him again.
“Although his five children are all educated and gainfully employed, the accused had to make an application to the Maintenance of Parents Tribunal before the children agreed to give $50 each for his subsistence and medical bills etc,” said the lawyer.
Sim, whose sentence was backdated to Nov 25, 2016 could have been jailed for up to seven years and fined. Elderly folk serving jail time may be possibly located in the prison’s medical wing for safety reasons. The food served to them may also be slightly different to suit nutrition needs.
