As the new year unfolds, Singapore has been marked by recent incidents of violence and murder, including the slashing incident during a New Year’s Eve countdown at Orchard Central and now, a tragic case of a woman’s murder at a residential block in Bukit Batok.
On Sunday (7 January 2024), an elderly man was charged in court for the alleged murder of his neighbour, a 43-year-old woman, inside a Bukit Batok flat.
The suspect, Quek Eng Hock, 65, has been charged with murdering a 43-year-old woman on Saturday (6 January 2024).
Her identity remains protected by a legal gag order.
The incident occurred within Block 460B Bukit Batok West Avenue 9 unit at around 8.20am on 6 January 2024.
While police investigations are still underway, recent developments suggest that Quek and the victim had frequently engaged in disputes over noise levels, as reported by neighbours who have come forward with this information.
Victim of Bukit Batok Murder and 65-Year-Old Man Locked in Frequent Disputes About Noise
According to accounts from neighbours interviewed by 8world News, Quek and the woman, who was a mother to a five-year-old son, frequently had disputes over noise-related issues.
They both live on the second floor of Block 460B Bukit Batok West Avenue 9.
Both parties had accused each other of generating excessive noise, with the victim notably having filed multiple police reports.
A neighbour residing on the third floor, who chose to remain anonymous, said he often overheard the duo engaging in heated arguments.
Although he would typically exchange greetings with the woman, he admitted not knowing her well.
Another neighbour from an upstairs unit reported hearing loud noises downstairs at approximately 8am. The sounds resembled the impact of heavy objects being forcefully struck and persisted for roughly half an hour.
The neighbour initially suspected a garbage truck to be the source of the commotion but found no evidence of one upon checking outside.
Victim’s Husband Unseen for Nearly Half a Year
According to 8world News, another neighbour recounted that the woman had been residing in the two-room unit with her husband and son for nearly four years.
Occasionally, the neighbour would observe the victim leaving for her part-time work.
Her five-year-old son attended kindergarten, and on certain days, his mother would accompany him to school.
However, she said that the victim’s husband had not been seen in the vicinity for nearly six months.
According to a police statement, the police received an emergency call at 8.20am on 6 January 2024.
Upon arrival, paramedics from the Singapore Civil Defence Force discovered the dead body of the woman at the scene.
Quek was arrested on-site.
At approximately 11.25am, the 65-year-old suspect was seen being escorted into a police vehicle.
He was dressed in a white personal protective suit and wore a face mask, commonly used to preserve forensic evidence, said The Straits Times.
The victim’s five-year-old son sustained injuries and was transported while conscious to the National University Hospital on Lower Kent Ridge Road.
Later in the day, law enforcement officers examined the garbage at the block’s bin centre, and they seized a knife believed to have been used in the incident.
The court has granted the prosecution’s request to detain Quek at the Changi Prison Complex Medical Centre for a three-week medical assessment.
He is scheduled to appear in court on 26 January 2024.
Individuals convicted of murder in Singapore may face the death penalty.