Ng Boon Hong, 63, was sentenced to life imprisonment by a Singapore court on July 1, 2023, for murdering his 61-year-old roommate, Ang Cheng Kek [1, 2, 3, 4]. The two men, both unemployed, had lived together in a one-room public rental flat in Redhill Close from December 2022 [1, 2, 3, 4]. They frequently clashed over issues such as smoking, laundry, noise from slamming doors, and visits from Ang’s girlfriend [1, 2, 3, 4].
On the night between March 15 and 16, 2023, after Ng was jolted awake by Ang slamming the door, Ng poured boiling oil mixed with chillis on Ang while he was sleeping and stabbed him multiple times [1, 2, 3, 4]. Ng later admitted he intended to inflict pain, saying he did not want Ang to "die easily", as noted by High Court Judge Dedar Singh Gill [1, 2, 3]. The autopsy revealed 35 injuries on Ang’s body, including 24 stab wounds and burns, with the cause of death attributed to bleeding from the stabbing [3, 4].
Following the attack, Ng surrendered to police after confessing at a temple and was subsequently charged [3, 4]. Although Ng pleaded guilty, the court did not accept the plea due to the death penalty nature of the charge; the prosecution and defence agreed on the facts before his conviction [1, 2]. The judge ultimately ruled out the death penalty, considering Ng’s remorse and chronic health problems that require him to take 18 medications daily [3, 4]. Ng also has a history of past convictions [3, 4].
Ng and Ang had begun sharing the flat on December 28, 2022 [3, 4]. The fatal attack occurred on March 15-16, 2023 [1, 2, 3, 4]. Ng was sentenced on July 1, 2023 [1, 2, 3, 4]. The case is now closed following sentencing.
