Orchard Tower murder accused given conditional warning: His parents told him 'don't do stupid things ah'

He cannot reoffend in the next one year or else the dropped charge will be pressed against him.

Belmont Lay| October 15, 2020, 07:18 PM

A 27-year-old man received a conditional warning on Oct. 15, 2020 after he was initially charged with the murder of another man at Orchard Towers in 2019.

Chan Jia Xing was given a discharge not amounting to an acquittal by the State Courts.

Chan will no longer face the charge of consorting with a co-accused, who had a foldable Kerambit knife in his possession.

This is provided that Chan refrain from criminal conduct for a year.

He may face prosecution for this charge if he reoffends at any time within a year, and will be charged for the new offence as well.

Spoke to reporters after leaving court

In comments to reporters outside court, Chan said he was grateful to his lawyers Cory Wong, Shane Yeo and Josephus Tan from Invictus Law.

This is the full transcript of the 1min 34sec clip:

Chan: "But I want to thank my lawyer only, that's it. That's all only, nothing much already."

Question: "Before coming to court today, what was your feeling like?"

Chan: "Worried lah."

Question: "What were you worried about?"

Chan: "Scared if got anything happen, this kind. But actually okay lah, because my lawyer do a good job."

Question: "So it has been quite a while since you've been charged initially, what has been the journey you have been through so far?"

Chan: "Eh as in...?"

Question: "I mean what did your parents tell you, what has been the feeling like...?"

Chan: "They encourage me to be strong, mindset to be strong, don't do stupid things ah."

Question: "What are you looking forward to in the coming days ahead?

Chan: "Go and work, find a proper job, that's all."

Question: "We heard you are expecting a child soon?"

Chan: "Eh ya that's right."

Question: "Girl or boy?"

Chan: "Eh it's a boy ah."

Question: "So you have to remain crime-free for one year. Do you think you can do it?"

Chan: "Ya, definitely will. For the rest of my life. That's it."

Question: "Have you spoken to any of the other co-accused since then?"

Chan: "Nope."

Lawyers' comments to media

Question: "Cory, do you have anything to add?"

Cory: "So I think both of us we are grateful that prosecution has considered our representations and they came back with a very favourable and fair outcome."

Shane: "We agree the outcome is very fair. And also it is a great relief for our client as well. And luckily he has a very supportive family behind him throughout this time and it has helped in achieving the results we have today."