MALACCA, MALAYSIA: A 29-year-old Singaporean was sentenced to death yesterday by the High Court here for the murder of a 42-year-old Taiwanese woman five years ago.

Kelvyn John was found guilty by the court for the murder of housewife Lin Fang Chu, who was found dead with multiple stab and slash wounds at her condominium on Oct 19, 2004.

High Court judge Abdu Samah Nordin said that the court was convinced beyond reasonable doubt that the accused had committed the offence.

Justice Abdu Samah said that the victim had suffered 18 stab and slash wounds on her head, arms and body.

He said that just by looking at the post-mortem photographs of the victim, any reasonable or sane person could see that the killer was ruthless and cruel.

The judge rejected the defence argument of provocation and self-defence, saying that John had fabricated his explanation for attacking Ms Lin.

He also noted that John had shown no emotions throughout the entire proceedings.

The accused, who served in the Singapore Armed Forces and lived opposite the victim's house, had gone over on the pretext of borrowing a pail of water from her.

However, he stabbed and slashed the woman in her kitchen and subsequently attacked one of her three daughters who was at home at the time.

He forced the 16-year-old girl to bind her dying mother's feet and hands before he took the teen up to a room, where he slashed her several times on the head and then tied her hands and feet with a pair of shoelaces.

The accused, who ran his own business in Malacca, then made off with a mobile phone and NT$9,200 (S$410).

He was arrested two days later.

The dead woman's husband, Mr Lu Shar Hua, 51, said he was satisfied with the verdict.

'I have been waiting for this day to come for more than four years, and I am happy to see that justice has been done today for my deceased wife,' he said.

Mr Lu, who continues to live in Malacca with his children, also praised the country's legal system for being impartial and fair. -THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK

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