A woman in Singapore has been sentenced to four years’ jail after pouring boiling hotpot soup on her male friend in a fit of anger after an argument. The incident took place at a hotpot restaurant in Singapore, leading to severe burns on the victim’s abdomen, legs, and genitals.
The accused, Lim Sihui, 33, pleaded guilty to a charge of voluntarily causing grievous hurt to Martin Boey, 36. Another charge of slapping him was taken into consideration for sentencing.
Lianhe Zaobao reported previously that Lim and Mr Boey got into an argument at FML Bar in Prinsep Street on 19 April 2022. The man who got injured is not only Lim’s male friend but also the godfather of her daughter.
According to the report, Lim is a divorcee and has since remarried.
The sequence of events leading to the incident began that night when the accused, Boey and his friends were having drinks at the bar. A heated argument ensued between Lim and Boey, resulting in him smashing her phone. In response, Lim slapped Boey in anger, which then involved the intervention of the police who came to the place of the incident.
Shortly after, Boey and his friends left the bar and went to the nearby hotpot restaurant while Lim waited for her husband to pick her up from the bar. When her husband arrived, she told her husband what happened and got even angrier. Despite her husband’s attempts to stop her, she stormed into the hotpot restaurant to confront Boey.
According to surveillance footage from the restaurant, Lim approached Boey’s table and flipped a hotpot with boiling soup on him as he was seated. Boey experienced excruciating pain, causing him to jump and strip off his clothes and accidentally slipping on the spilled soup in the process.
Lim reportedly continued to scold Boey while his friends rushed forward to help him remove his clothes. Boey briefly lost consciousness for a while before gaining consciousness to rush to the restroom to pour water on his wounds.
Boey was later taken to the hospital for treatment.
Medical reports revealed that Boey suffered burns on approximately 29% of his body, including his abdomen, legs, and genitals. He underwent four skin grafting surgeries and was discharged from the hospital about a month after the incident.
The court heard that the incident had taken a significant toll on Boey’s mental well-being. He expressed a loss of confidence due to the scarring, feeling that his wife had become less interested in him, leading to a noticeable decline in their intimate life.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Santhra Aiyyasamy said that Lim’s actions have caused Boey to suffer extensive injuries and permanent scars. He urged the court to impose a sentence of 5½ to six years for Lim.
However, Lim’s lawyer Amolat Singh argued for a jail term of 2½ to three years, saying there was no premeditation involved in her attack. Her lawyer pleaded for leniency, explaining that her intention was only to confront Boey and that she deeply regrets her impulsive actions.
In the end, Lim was sentenced to four years’ jail.
This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of controlling anger and resolving conflicts peacefully don’t a bit a bit angry and want to attack people. And also, don’t offend a woman.
For the offence of voluntarily causing grievous hurt, an offender can be jailed for life, or jailed for up to 15 years and fined or caned. However, Lim cannot be caned as she is a woman.
