Two Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) servicemen were fined S$8,000 and S$7,000 respectively in military court on Tuesday, Nov. 19.

The punishments were meted out for their roles in the death of national serviceman Corporal First Class (NS) Aloysius Pang, 28, in January 2019 during an SAF training exercise in New Zealand.

The two servicemen are Third Sergeant (National Service) Hubert Wah, 31, a NSman, and Military Expert 2 Ivan Teo Gee Siang, 35, a regular.

NSmen punished

Third Sergeant (National Service) Hubert Wah, 31, pleaded guilty to two charges:

• One charge of causing death by a negligent act under the Penal Code

• fined S$5,000

• One charge of a negligent act of endangering life under the SAF Act.

• fined S$3,000

Wah's rank will be demoted to Corporal.

Wah is an operationally-ready national serviceman.

His charges were more serious.

3SG (NS) Wah, a detachment commander, failed to ensure that Pang was not in the travel path of the flick rammer of the Singapore Self-Propelled Howitzer, the court heard.

The flick rammer ended up pinning Pang against the centre slew ring of the Howitzer and causing his death.

For failing to activate the emergency stop button that would have stopped the flick rammer, Wah slapped with the other charge.

3SG (NS) Wah’s defence lawyer said Pang’s next-of-kin had asked for the court to be lenient.

A person convicted for causing death by a negligent act faces up to two years' jail and/ or a fine.

The prosecution said it did not object to only a fine being imposed for the charge of causing death.

But it should be the maximum S$5,000, if a fine was to be imposed.

Regular punished

Military Expert 2 Ivan Teo Gee Siang, 35, pleaded guilty to three charges.

• Two charges of a negligent act of endangering life under the SAF Act

• ME2 Teo failed to alert 3SG (NS) Wah that Pang was in the travel path of the flick rammer, and failed to activate the emergency stop button that would have halted it.

• One charge of disobedience of general orders under the SAF Act

ME2 Teo proceeded to loosen the outer cover of a box in the Howitzer when its barrel was not in a parked position, despite a maintenance manual indicating so.

He was fined a total of S$7,000 for three charges.

3SG (NS) Wah and ME2 Teo were charged on July 31, but their charges were amended.

Background

Pang, an actor, was in New Zealand for Exercise Thunder Warrior, a live firing exercise involving the Howitzer.

The accident that led to his death was caused by lapses by Pang and two other servicemen who were in the Howitzer at the time, a Committee of Inquiry (COI) had found.

Both the technician and gun commander failed to press the emergency stop buttons to stop the barrel movement.

Pang was crushed between the gun barrel and cabin while carrying out maintenance work in the Howitzer.

[CNA]