Singaporean Facing Drug Trafficking Charge Released After Prosecution Withdraws Case
SINGAPORE – benny Kee Soon Chuan, a 32-year-old Singaporean man deported from Thailand, will be released from remand after the prosecution sought and received a discharge not amounting to acquittal on a charge of conspiring to traffic methamphetamine. This type of discharge allows authorities to potentially reinstate the charge should new evidence surface.
Kee was accused of conspiring with Low en Quan Justin to traffic methamphetamine in early December 2020, while Kee was residing outside of Singapore. The charge stemmed from a parcel containing at least 2kg of methamphetamine that entered Singapore, destined for a recipient named “senthil Kumar” at a shop in Orchard Towers. Kee was alleged to have directed Low to collect the parcel on December 2, 2020.
Low En Quan Justin faced a capital charge initially, wich was later amended. He ultimately pleaded guilty to attempting to traffic at least 249.99g of methamphetamine and was sentenced to 22-and-a-half years’ imprisonment and 15 strokes of the cane.
The Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) previously stated that Kee was potentially linked to both LowS case and another drug trafficking incident in November 2022.
Kee had been at large since April 2016, according to immigration records. He was arrested by Thai authorities in September of last year and subsequently deported to Singapore the same month. Reports in Thai media indicated Kee was “living in luxury” in samut Prakan province,south of Bangkok,at the time of his arrest.
The penalty for conspiring to traffic in a Class A controlled drug in Singapore carries the death penalty.
Following Monday’s (September 8th) proceedings, Kee’s lawyer, Mr. Ramesh Tiwary, stated his client “is innocent.” He anticipates Kee will be released from remand and expressed his client’s gratitude at being reunited with his family. Kee has been held in remand for over 11 months since his deportation from Thailand last september.
The Attorney-General’s Chambers has been contacted by CNA for comment regarding the decision to seek the discharge not amounting to acquittal.
