On 24 May 1968, 19-year-old Ong Beang Leck (Chinese: 王勉励; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Ông Bián-lē), the son of a millionaire, was last seen leaving his house. His family received a call two days later, being told by the caller that Ong was kidnapped and a ransom of S$100,000 was demanded. After a second phone call in the second week of Ong’s disappearance, the ransom was reduced to S$20,000 after negotiations, and it was paid for Ong’s safe return. However, after the arrest of one suspect, it was established that Ong was murdered and in the midst of investigations and subsequent capture of four more suspects, Ong’s decomposed body was discovered in a manhole at Jurong. Five of the suspects were charged in relation to their roles in the kidnapping and murder of the youth, with three hanged for murder while the remaining two were jailed for abetting the abduction and possession of the ransom money as well.
Disappearance of Ong
On the evening of 24 May 1968, 19-year-old Ong Beang Leck, the fourth of five children (four sons and one daughter) of Ong Yew Kee, a rich Singaporean businessman, was last seen leaving his house, informing his family that he was going out but never told them where he was going. His family reported him missing after Ong failed to return home after that day.
Two days after Ong’s disappearance, Ong’s family received a phone call, in which the caller spoke to them in Hokkien that he had kidnapped Ong. The caller demanded a ransom of S$100,000 in exchange for Ong’s safe return before he cut the call. Twelve days later, on 5 June 1968, the Ong family received a second phone call from the same caller, and after some negotiations, the ransom was reduced to S$20,000. The ransom was arranged to be dropped off at Jalan Taman, Serangoon Road. The ransom was paid, although Ong still remained missing and had not returned home.[1][2]
Discovery of Ong’s death
Meanwhile, four days after the ransom was paid, at a rental car company, the owner noticed that one of the red cars he rented out recently was plagued with a strange smell, and after discovering a stain resembling blood under the car’s floormat, he reported the matter to the police, who later confirmed that the substance found in the car was indeed blood. One of the last three persons who rented the car, 22-year-old Richard Lai Choon Seng (Chinese: 赖春成; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Lāi Chhun-sêng; pinyin: Lài Chūnchéng), a Singaporean electrical firm owner, was questioned by the police.[3] During interrogation, Lai remorsefully admitted that a murder took place inside the car while he was driving it. He told police that he was involved in the kidnapping of 19-year-old Ong Beang Leck, who he said was the one killed by his three accomplices inside the car. With Lai’s information, the police managed to arrest one of the accomplices, 24-year-old Lee Chor Pet (also spelt Lee Choh Pet, alias Ah Peck; Chinese: 李祖壁; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Lí Chó͘-pek), who was a Malaysian from Kulai, Johor. Lee was revealed to be a close friend of Ong, and he used to be an employee working under Ong’s father.[4]
After his arrest, Lee admitted to his involvement in the abduction of Ong, and led police to a sewage manhole at Jurong, where the police found the highly decomposed body of Ong Beang Leck, the 19-year-old kidnap victim.[5] Although the state of decomposition was very high, Ong’s father was able to recognise it as his son’s after seeing the clothes last wore by Ong prior to his disappearance and death. It was known that on the day of his abduction, Ong was lured by Lee into the car after he was told that they would be hanging out with some pretty girls.[6][7][8]
Three other suspects were later arrested for their alleged involvement in the kidnapping and death of Ong. Out of the trio, 32-year-old Lim Kim Kwee (alias Ah Tee; Chinese: 林金贵; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Lîm Kim-kùi) and 23-year-old Ho Kee Fatt (alias Ah Aw; Chinese: 何记发; Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: Hò Ki-fat) were arrested in Malaysia by the Royal Malaysia Police and extradited back to Singapore to face charges of murder and kidnapping for ransom. A fifth man, 29-year-old Chow Sien Cheong (alias Ah Chong; Chinese: 赵秀昌; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Tiāu Siù-chhiong; pinyin: Zhào Xìuchāng), was arrested in Singapore. Like Lee, both Lim and Ho were Malaysians, although Lim came from Penang while Ho came from Ipoh, Perak. The five men were all charged with murder.[9][10][11]
Trial of Lai and Cheong
On 28 April 1970, both Chow Sien Cheong and Richard Lai were brought to trial for charges of negotiating and possessing the ransom money. Lai and Chow, who both pleaded guilty, were spared from the murder charge.
Justice Tan Ah Tah, who presided over the sentencing trial of Lai, stated that it was a serious crime to kidnap a person and deterrence should be reflected in the sentence of those involved. Lai was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment and another concurrent term of six months for the charges he faced. Chow was sentenced to three years’ jail for receiving the ransom, and he had another year added to his sentence for possessing a share of the ransom.[12]
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