CNA – A teenager who was originally accused of murdering a 13-year-old boy at River Valley High School in July 2021 has had his charge amended to culpable homicide.
The teen, who turned 18 in January, was given an amended charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
Yesterday, the accused returned to court via video-link from his place of remand.
His head was shaven and he wore a mask and white shirt.
Lawyer Joyce Khoo of Quahe Woo & Palmer reminded the court of the gag order in place, which forbids publication of the accused’s identity, photo or anything likely to lead to the teen’s identification.
The case was adjourned to April.
According to past court hearings, the teen was previously seen as a patient at the Institute of Mental Health.
The police attended to an incident in 2019 when the teen attempted suicide at the age of 14.
After the incident, the boy was taken into custody for his safety and referred to the Institute of Mental Health for assessment before being discharged.
If convicted of committing culpable homicide not amounting to murder, he can be sentenced to life imprisonment with caning, or imprisonment for up to 20 years and a fine or caning.
A murder charge carries the death penalty. However, according to Section 314 of the Criminal Procedure Code, a sentence of death cannot be passed or recorded against an accused person who was below 18 at the time of the offence.
Instead, he or she will be sentenced to life imprisonment.
The Singaporean Ministry of Education said in a statement a year after the incident that the school had increased its support to students, including having more counsellors and a one-stop hub for wellness services.
