Suspect in Kovan double murder is police officer with 14 years of experience
Yahoo! Newsroom – 13 hours ago- Yahoo! Newsroom - Kovan double murder suspect Iskandar bin Rahmat (middle) arrives at Police Cantonment Complex.
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View PhotoKovan double murder suspect Iskandar bin Rahmat during his days at Bedok North Neighbourhood …
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Suspect in Kovan double murder is police officer with 14 years of experience
The suspect arrested in the Kovan suspected double murder case has been identified as Iskandar bin Rahmat. …
Elder victim in suspected Kovan double murder was hardworking, kind: employee
The elder victim in the suspected double murder case in Kovan was a friendly and humble man, according to various people who knew him. …
[UPDATE Saturday, 11.30pm: Adding details of neighbours’ impression of suspect.]
When Yahoo! Singapore spoke to Iskandar bin Rahmat's neighbours at his Kim Keat Avenue flat, they painted a picture of a family that was very private. The suspect in the Kovan murders is said to live there in the three-room unit with his aged parents and a woman whose relationship with the suspect is unclear.
Iskandar’s family always had “their doors and windows closed” and not much is known about them, said two neighbours, who did not want to be named.
They said the family moved in at the end of last year. A female neighbour several doors down said she had seen Iskandar a few times. He was always wearing black tops and did not smile at her.
Read the statement by Deputy Prime Minister and Home Affairs Minister Teo Chee Hean here.
HOW WERE THE MURDERS ALLEGEDLY CARRIED OUT?
Yahoo! Newsroom – Wed, Jul 10, 2013
(UPDATED 13 July, 7.23am: Singapore police arrest 34-year-old suspect late on Friday evening with help from Malaysian police. )
A 34-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the Kovan double murder late on Friday evening.
"The arrest of the suspect was possible through the close collaboration between the Singapore Police and the Royal Malaysian Police," according to a statement.
The arrest comes after a frantic three-day manhunt after two dead bodies, a father and a son, were found less than a kilometre apart around the Kovan area on Wednesday afternoon.
The body of the younger Tan Chee Heong, 42, was dragged by a car for almost a kilometre. The getaway car, a silver Toyota Camry with the licence plate SGM 14J was found at Block 1084, Eunos Avenue 7, on Thursday.
The elder man has been identified as 67-year-old car business owner Tan Boon Sin. He was found dead in a private home on Hillside Drive. The latter was suspected to have been murdered at the house.
Police followed a blood trail to a private home at Hillside Drive, where they discovered the body of the man's …
According to a neighbour of the older victim, the vehicle belonged to him. They also suspect a connection between the younger victim and driver of the Toyota Camry.
An eyewitness on Wednesdat afternoon said that he saw a body being dragged from a car's rear. He saw the car “dragging it for 10 to 20m” before it was “pushed” from the car near Kovan MRT station.
He added that the man was “barely conscious” and his head was “full of blood”.
The eyewitness also said that there were many motorists honking and one went to check on the victim. Later, he covered the victim's head with a white cloth.
The incident caused a huge traffic jam in Kovan as the three lanes on the left were subsequently blocked by the police, who were also directing traffic.
Neighbours were gathering at Hillside Drive to find out more about the case.
At Hillside Drive, one of the neighbours, a 73-year-old man who wanted to be known as Mr Liang, told Yahoo! Singapore that the deceased older man and his wife "were a nice couple". He added that they had lived in the house for 10 years.
If you have information on the driver or the case, call 1800-255-0000.
When Yahoo! Singapore spoke to Iskandar bin Rahmat's neighbours at his Kim Keat Avenue flat, they painted a picture of a family that was very private. The suspect in the Kovan murders is said to live there in the three-room unit with his aged parents and a woman whose relationship with the suspect is unclear.
Iskandar’s family always had “their doors and windows closed” and not much is known about them, said two neighbours, who did not want to be named.
They said the family moved in at the end of last year. A female neighbour several doors down said she had seen Iskandar a few times. He was always wearing black tops and did not smile at her.
After he was brought into the custody of Singapore police on Saturday, Iskandar was brought back to the alleged crime scene at 14J Hillside Drive.
A resident, Mr Sam Toh, 53, told Yahoo! Singapore, "I saw the suspect arriving with four police officers in a car. They went in to 14J for about 10 minutes.
"The suspect was wearing a black T-shirt and looked quite muscular."
The businessman added that the suspect had both his hands and feet cuffed.
Toh is relieved that an arrest has been made - his 10-year-old daughter hasn't been able to sleep on her own since the murders happened.
"The whole family have been sleeping in one room," he said.
Generally, the neighbourhood is "quite safe", Toh added, "but there were reports of break-ins recently".
Earlier on Saturday, the police announced that the suspect had been identified as Iskandar bin Rahmat.
He is a senior staff sergeant 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.
"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 would 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."
Police later added that Iskandar was a former Investigation Officer who was removed from his position as he was facing disciplinary proceedings. Prior to the Kovan murders, he was deployed to perform administrative duties, and was barred from carrying arms.
Relationship with victim unclear
The suspect, 34, was arrested at 11.30pm on Friday night, 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. He was the police officer attending to elder victim Tan Boon Sin when he made a police report in November 2012. The extent of the relationship between the two is not known.
Read the statement by Commissioner of Police Ng Joo Hee here.A resident, Mr Sam Toh, 53, told Yahoo! Singapore, "I saw the suspect arriving with four police officers in a car. They went in to 14J for about 10 minutes.
"The suspect was wearing a black T-shirt and looked quite muscular."
The businessman added that the suspect had both his hands and feet cuffed.
Toh is relieved that an arrest has been made - his 10-year-old daughter hasn't been able to sleep on her own since the murders happened.
"The whole family have been sleeping in one room," he said.
Generally, the neighbourhood is "quite safe", Toh added, "but there were reports of break-ins recently".
Earlier on Saturday, the police announced that the suspect had been identified as Iskandar bin Rahmat.
He is a senior staff sergeant 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.
"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 would 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."
Police later added that Iskandar was a former Investigation Officer who was removed from his position as he was facing disciplinary proceedings. Prior to the Kovan murders, he was deployed to perform administrative duties, and was barred from carrying arms.
Relationship with victim unclear
The suspect, 34, was arrested at 11.30pm on Friday night, 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. He was the police officer attending to elder victim Tan Boon Sin when he made a police report in November 2012. The extent of the relationship between the two is not known.
Read the statement by Deputy Prime Minister and Home Affairs Minister Teo Chee Hean here.
HOW WERE THE MURDERS ALLEGEDLY CARRIED OUT?
UPDATE: 34-year-old man arrested in connection with Kovan double murder
Yahoo! Newsroom – Wed, Jul 10, 2013- Yahoo! Newsroom - Two men are suspected to have been murdered in Kovan, with one being dragged by a car from Hillside Drive to Kovan MRT station, about 1km away.
A 34-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the Kovan double murder late on Friday evening.
"The arrest of the suspect was possible through the close collaboration between the Singapore Police and the Royal Malaysian Police," according to a statement.
The arrest comes after a frantic three-day manhunt after two dead bodies, a father and a son, were found less than a kilometre apart around the Kovan area on Wednesday afternoon.
The body of the younger Tan Chee Heong, 42, was dragged by a car for almost a kilometre. The getaway car, a silver Toyota Camry with the licence plate SGM 14J was found at Block 1084, Eunos Avenue 7, on Thursday.
The elder man has been identified as 67-year-old car business owner Tan Boon Sin. He was found dead in a private home on Hillside Drive. The latter was suspected to have been murdered at the house.
Police followed a blood trail to a private home at Hillside Drive, where they discovered the body of the man's …According to a neighbour of the older victim, the vehicle belonged to him. They also suspect a connection between the younger victim and driver of the Toyota Camry.
An eyewitness on Wednesdat afternoon said that he saw a body being dragged from a car's rear. He saw the car “dragging it for 10 to 20m” before it was “pushed” from the car near Kovan MRT station.
He added that the man was “barely conscious” and his head was “full of blood”.
The eyewitness also said that there were many motorists honking and one went to check on the victim. Later, he covered the victim's head with a white cloth.
The incident caused a huge traffic jam in Kovan as the three lanes on the left were subsequently blocked by the police, who were also directing traffic.
Neighbours were gathering at Hillside Drive to find out more about the case.At Hillside Drive, one of the neighbours, a 73-year-old man who wanted to be known as Mr Liang, told Yahoo! Singapore that the deceased older man and his wife "were a nice couple". He added that they had lived in the house for 10 years.
If you have information on the driver or the case, call 1800-255-0000.
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