S'porean man, 71, throws 3 potted plants from Sin Ming HDB block, gets 5 weeks' jail

A 71-year-old retiree, Lim Chye Huat, was sentenced to five weeks' in jail on Dec. 4 for throwing three potted plants from a Housing and Development Board (HDB) block and for his involvement in a fight in a separate incident.

According to Shin Min Daily News, Lim faced one charge each of endangering the life or personal safety of others, mischief and affray.

He pleaded guilty to one of the charges, and the remaining charges were taken into consideration by the judge during sentencing.

Threw down 3 potted plants

According to charge sheets seen by Mothership, Lim threw three potted plants from the 25th floor corridor of Block 410 Sin Ming Avenue, at around 9:50am on Jun. 9, 2024.

Shin Min reported that Lim first threw two potted plants from outside his own unit, before proceeding to throw another one which belonged to his neighbour.

His neighbour, who heard the commotion, saw what Lim was doing and immediately called the police.

Upon arriving at the scene, officers found the shattered pots near a rubbish bin at the foot of the block.

Got into a fight months later

About four months later, Lim got into a fight with another person at the same block on Oct. 2, 2024.

He was subsequently diagnosed with substance use disorder, Shin Min reported.

In court, the prosecution noted that Lim had a history of drug-related convictions and argued for a custodial sentence.

During mitigation, Lim expressed deep remorse and regret, and asked the court for leniency.

When delivering the sentence, the judge stated that cases of high-rise littering pose a serious danger in Singapore, given the large number of residents who live in HDB flats.

Fortunately, no one under the block at the time of the incident.

The judge ultimately sentenced the defendant to five weeks in jail.

Delay granted for Christmas

According to Shin Min, Lim asked to begin serving his sentence after Christmas, saying celebrating the holiday was a tradition for him.

The judge granted his request, allowing him to start his jail term on Jan. 5, 2026.

In an interview with Shin Min, Lim revealed that he had taken sleeping pills and consumed alcohol on the morning of the incident, which rendered him emotionally unstable.

He said he only threw the potted plants as a response to a sound he heard, and was not fully conscious at the time.

"I know I shouldn't have done it, and I will never do it again. I haven't used any drugs since," he said.

Top photos via Shin Min Daily News