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The 50-year-old Singaporean man accused of murdering a 27-year-old woman, his business partner, will be remanded for another two weeks.

Remanded two more weeks

Caleb Joshua Chai Shanmugam appeared in court on Dec. 30 via video link from Changi Prison Complex Medical Centre.

His hair was shaved, and he was in a white t-shirt, wearing a pair of glasses and a blue surgical face mask.

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

The police prosecutor said the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) requested for Chai Shanmugam to be further remanded for two more weeks to complete his psychiatric assessment.

Chai Shanmugam's lawyer did not object to it, and the application was granted by Senior District Judge Ong Hian Sun.

Chai Shanmugam is slated to appear in court on Jan. 13, 2023.

Wants to be transferred to a ward

Before the hearing concluded, Chai Shanmugam made a request to be transferred out of a cell and into a ward.

He said: "Sir, can I have a request? Can I have a ward instead of a cell?"

Chai Shanmugam said he is making this request so that he can have visits from his family members and lawyers.

Chai Shanmugam has also requested to see his wife in the past two hearings.

The judge asked if the prosecution had any objections.

In response, the police prosecutor said Chai Shanmugam's request is an administrative matter and he does not want to commit to a decision yet.

Chai Shanmugam's lawyer asked the judge to put on record his request which the judge agreed to and will ask the prison to look into this request.

Mothership understands that inmates housed in prison cells are allowed for visitation unless they are isolated for some reasons such as having contagious illness or under psychiatric evaluation.

As compared to a cell room, a ward in the prison has doctors and nurses in close proximity and inmates are on special care.

Background

Chai Shanmugam is accused of murdering 27-year-old Rachael Ang Qi Ying.

Mothership understands that the two of them were business partners of a company 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.

Four days later on Nov. 13, Ang was found dead by police officers in a shop located at Block 2 Beach Road, #01-4797, the location where the duo had planned to open a hardware shop.

The police identified Chai Shanmugam and connected him to Ang's death.

However, Chai Shanmugam had left for Malaysia on the morning of Nov. 10.

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

Chai Shanmugam was charged on Nov. 18 for allegedly murdering Ang, two days after he was taken into custody.

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

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

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