In a shocking twist of events, spotted on Channel News Asia and Yahoo Newsroom this morning:
Suspect in Kovan double murder is police officer with 14 years of experience
Seated in the middle
The suspect arrested in the Kovan suspected double murder case is now in Singapore police custody. He has been identified as Iskandar bin Rahmat. He is a senior staff sergeant, Singaporean at Bedok Police Division with 14 years of experience in the force.
Police revealed these details at a press conference Saturday morning, which was chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean — who is also the Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs — and Police Commissioner Ng Joo Hee.
Kovan double murder suspect is a police officer
“Today is a sad day for the police,” said Ng. “Today, we have arrested a murder suspect who is also a policeman.” He acknowledged that there will be public backlash – “Most of it will be an outcry critical of the police, questioning the quality and integrity of the police officers,” he said.
“Even as we investigate the murders, the police also look to find out what has led an individual who has sworn to uphold the law to now stand accused of breaking it in the most grievous way,” he added.
DPM Teo said, “No one is above the law. Anyone who breaks the law, in particular officers placed in positions of trust or authority will have to face the full weight of the law. We have zero tolerance for officers who break the law.” Relationship with victim unclear
Iskandar, 34, a senior staff sergeant, was arrested on Friday for the murder of Mr Tan, 67, and his son, Mr Tan Chee Heong, 42 within 56 hours of the alleged crime, by Malaysian police at a restaurant at Danga Bay, Johor.He had left Singapore at 11pm on Wednesday, the day of the Kovan deaths, and crossed over to Malaysia on a scooter.
Police say that Iskandar had personal debt issues, personal domestic problems, and was facing an internal disciplinary process. Policeman Iskandar Rahmat was the investigating officer when businessman Tan Boon Sin made a report about theft at Bedok police station in November last year. But he was later taken off the case but said the suspect was under internal disciplinary investigations., said a police press conference. Beyond that encounter, it is unclear the extent Iskandar is related to the victims.
What the suspect allegedly has done
The two victims, Tan Boon Sin, 67, and his son who is in his 40s, were killed Wednesday afternoon. The elder Mr Tan was found dead in his home at 14J Hillside Drive. The suspect drove off in the family’s car, dragging the younger Mr Tan’s body beneath it for about 1km. The body was dislodged from the car outside Kovan MRT station.
The getaway car was found on Thursday at a Eunos industrial area.
Kovan double murder: Older victim took out items ‘from safe deposit box’
FOR Mr Tan Boon Sin, Wednesday seemed to have started like any other. The 67-year-old had gone for lunch with a regular client of Soc Leon Motor Works, his car workshop at Autobay@Kaki Bukit. This was not unusual. But when the pair returned to the workshop after lunch, Mr Tan left abruptly at 1pm without his client, whose car was still being serviced.
He told his staff that “he had to go”, said the 55-year-old head mechanic of the workshop, who gave his name as Ah Siong. He said he did not think anything was amiss, because there was no urgency in Mr Tan’s voice. But that would be the last time the mechanic saw his boss alive.
After leaving the workshop, Mr Tan reportedly made his way to the Certis Cisco Centre at Paya Lebar. Chinese daily Lianhe Wanbao yesterday quoted a source as saying that he had withdrawn “bags of items” – including important documents and valuables – from a safe deposit box there.
Like me, are you FREAKING SHOCKED at this turn of events?! NO ONE would ever expect that the suspect could be a POLICEMAN– one who is supposed to be sworn to uphold justice in Singapore. Much less a SINGAPOREAN policeman who committed this atrocious crime!
I woke up to discover this from my colleagues on our Whatsapp conversation. Immediately, I told my mom about this case and she was taken back too. Her immediate reaction is what DPM Teo has feared – she said:
How can I ever trust policemen again or people with authoritative powers after this case?
I mean now after this arrest, most people will definitely feel that same way already. Although he is only the suspect at this moment, but there is extremely high possibility that he really is the murderer. I’ll update here as the case develops as there are so many unanswered questions such as:
WHY did Iskandar bin Rahmat kill Mr Tan Boon Sin, 67, and his son, Mr Tan Chee Heong, 42? (On the basis that he is really the murderer)
My guess would definitely be – over greed and money OR revenge. What about you? Also – thumbs up to the Malaysian Police and Singapore Police for working hand in hand to bring in the suspect!
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