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The 50-year-old Singaporean man accused of murdering a 27-year-old woman appeared in court on Dec. 2 for the first time since he was taken into custody more than two weeks ago on Nov. 16.

Out of hospital

Caleb Joshua Chai Shanmugam was charged with the alleged murder of Rachael Ang Qi Ying.

He was arrested in Malaysia on Nov. 16, 2022 and handed over to the Singapore Police Force on the same day.

However, Chai Shanmugam was soon admitted into Changi General Hospital (CGH).

Mothership understands that he was hospitalised from as early as Nov. 18.

His case came before a judge on Nov. 25 but he was not in court as he was still at CGH.

No further details were given in court about why he was hospitalised.

His lawyer, Sophia Ng, told Mothership she did not have any information as to why her client was in CGH.

Discharged on Nov. 30

Chai Shanmugam appeared in court on Dec. 2 via video link from the Central Police Division at the Police Cantonment Complex.

He was in a red polo t-shirt, and wore glasses, along with a blue surgical face mask.

He is represented by Ng and Suang Wijaya from Eugene Thuraisingam LLP.

The court heard that he was discharged on Nov. 30, 2022 and is still recovering, but no details were shared about his medical condition.

The police prosecutor applied for Chai Shanmugam to be remanded further so he can be brought back to the scene of the incident for the recovery of evidence, if any.

Ng said she had no objections to the prosecution's request.

Requests to see wife

District Judge Terence Tay ordered for Chai Shanmugam to be remanded for one week until Dec. 9.

Before the hearing concluded, Chai Shanmugam rose his hand to speak and said: "Sir, can I have one request, sir?"

"Can I have a family visit, sir?," said Chai Shanmugam, adding "I just need to talk to my wife, sir."

In response, Tay said family visits are not allowed during remand.

He added that Chai Shanmugam can speak to his investigation officer regarding requests for visits.

Chai Shanmugam is slated to appear in court next on Dec. 9, 2022.

If convicted of the offence of murder, he may face the death penalty.

Deceased was business partner and had gone missing

Mothership understands that Chai Shanmugam and the deceased were business partners.

Their company was named Smart Click Business Services Private Limited.

Ang became uncontactable at around 7:22pm on Nov. 9 and failed to return home that same night.

Her family members reported her disappearance to the police on Nov. 10 evening.

On Nov. 13, Ang was found dead by police officers in a shop located at Block 2 Beach Road, #01-4797.

She and Chai Shanmugam were in the midst of opening a hardware shop with the same name as their company at that location.

Court documents state that the alleged murder took place at around 6:58pm on Nov. 9, 2022.

Chai Shanmugam was identified in connection to the case, but had left for Malaysia in the morning of Nov. 10, 2022.

He was charged with the alleged murder of Ang on Nov. 18, two days after he was taken into custody.

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Top image courtesy of Singapore Police Force and from Smart Click Services Pte Ltd/Facebook