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HE spent about an hour in the courtroom yesterday morning, waiting for his wife's case to be mentioned - but left before her case was heard.
Opposition party member Tan Lead Shake, 39, had to rush off to attend his brother's burial. There, he sang hymns and placed flowers on the coffin.
Up to 100 friends and relatives turned up at the Choa Chu Kang cemetery to pay their last respects to Lead Sane, 34.
Mr Tan's China-born wife, Wu Yun Yun, 25, had been charged last week with murdering Lead Sane.
Lead Sane's widow, Ms Wang Mei Zhu, 36, who attended the burial in a wheelchair, nearly fainted once as she wept over her late husband.
DISTRAUGHT
Upon seeing his coffin, she cried out: 'Lead Sane! What shall I do? Why have you left me like this? I can't bear to let you go!'
Ms Wang's 3-year-old daughter and 2-month-old son were also at the burial.
Mr Tan's mother, Madam Ng Bee Hion, 63, was also visibly distraught, Lianhe Wanbao reported, and she was heard crying out, 'Lead Sane! Don't leave!'
Mr Tan's wife, Wu, was charged yesterday with two more offences.
One of the fresh charges alleges that Wu tried to murder Lead Sane's wife, Ms Wang, by slashing her on the neck between 5.30am and 7am on 28Jun.
She is also said to have hurt her mother-in-law, Madam Ng, with a knife.
It was obvious that his younger brother's death and the subsequent arrest of his wife had taken their toll on Mr Tan.
TIRED OUT
Shin Min Daily News reported that he arrived at the courthouse at 8.45am yesterday, looking fatigued.
He was dressed in a white polo T-shirt, black pants, and slippers. He was dubbed 'The Slipper Man' for his trademark footwear during elections.
After Mr Tan sat down, he took off his spectacles and closed his eyes for a bit.
His wife seemed surprised to see him when she was taken into the courtroom at 9.10am.
After an initial glance, she avoided looking at him for the rest of the time he was there.
Mr Tan kept looking solemnly at his wife.
He even changed seats three times, apparently to get a better view of her.
By about 10am, he left the court to attend his younger brother's burial.
Wu's case will be mentioned in court again on 28 Jul and she will be sent for a psychiatric examination before that. She is being held at Changi Women's Prison.
This article was first published in The New Paper on July 8, 2008.
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