A 30-year-old PRC male tenant living in a rented unit at Bendemeer got so frustrated with the slow WiFi network connection that he strangled and threatened to kill his 61-year-old landlady.
He was arrested on 17 May and had been in remand since 18 May, and he pleaded guilty on 21 June to four charges that includes use of criminal force, strangling, causing alarm and threatening to kill the landlady.
He was then sentenced to 5 months imprisonment for his offences.
The incident took place on 16 May 2023 in a Bendemeer HDB unit, where the tenant, a 30-year-old Chinese national named Li Xin, resided.
On that evening, Li Xin, engrossed in a mobile game after consuming six cans of beer, experienced the frustration of slow WiFi. This led him to confront his 61-year-old landlady, who happened to be present in the unit at the time.
Li Xin then retrieved a knife with a 14cm blade that he had concealed in the back of his shorts. With the knife in hand, he forcefully dragged his landlady into his room and slammed her onto the bed.
Amidst the escalating tension, Li Xin kept the knife within reach, tucking it back into his shorts. However, he soon managed to calm down and released his grip on his landlady.
Subsequently, he received a call from another tenant of the unit, who had been waiting below the building for two hours. The landlady overheard Li Xin telling the tenant that he had intentions to harm her and her family.
Upon the return of the male tenant, the landlady informed him about her dispute with Li Xin, subtly hinting at the knife hidden in his shorts.
Li Xin’s anger surged when he noticed her gesture, prompting him to charge at her. He proceeded to strangle her, relentlessly maintaining his hold on her neck.
It was only thanks to the intervention of the male tenant that Li Xin was eventually pulled away.
Following the violent incident, the landlady sought refuge in the room of a female tenant who had returned home during the commotion.
Locked safely behind the door, she escaped Li Xin’s pursuit. Sensing the urgency of the situation, the female tenant’s employer promptly alerted the police.
Li Xin was subsequently arrested on May 17, 2023.
During the court proceedings, which took place on June 21, Li Xin pleaded guilty to the charges of strangling and threatening to kill his landlady.
Notably, he was unrepresented and requested leniency, claiming ignorance of Singapore’s laws despite having worked in the country for over a decade.
The prosecutor emphasized the unprovoked and sustained nature of the attack. The judge acknowledged the significance of the male tenant’s intervention, highlighting that Li Xin might not have ceased his assault had the intervention not taken place.
Consequently, the judge agreed with the prosecutor’s recommendation and sentenced Li Xin to five months’ imprisonment.