A Tragic Tale of Love, Betrayal, and Violence: The Story of Lim Song Chua and His Lover
In a shocking display of jealousy, anger, and desperation, Lim Song Chua, a 62-year-old former director of a construction company, attempted to kill his lover of seven years by disfiguring her face with acid and slashing her with a knife. After committing the heinous act, Lim attempted suicide by taking sleeping pills but fell asleep next to his unconscious lover, reported CNA.
The couple had met at work in 2013, with Lim hiring the victim to handle administrative and financial matters at his company. Despite Lim being married, the pair started dating shortly after and later moved in together in 2017. Their relationship was fraught with arguments, as Lim suspected his lover of being unfaithful and viewed her as a financial burden due to the S$300,000 he had lent her to pay off her ex-husband’s debts, The Straits Times reported.
The Covid-19 pandemic exacerbated Lim’s financial troubles, causing his construction firm to suffer significant losses. Overwhelmed by stress and consumed by jealousy, Lim concluded that his lover was the source of all his problems and decided to take drastic action in the early hours of December 30, 2020.
Lim’s plan was to disfigure his lover with acid and then slash her with a knife, hoping to inflict pain and suffering upon her. He emptied a pail of acid onto her face, causing severe chemical burns. Despite her attempts to escape, Lim strangled her and proceeded to slash her arms seven times with a parang. Exhausted, he then took sleeping pills in an attempt to kill himself.
Miraculously, the victim managed to escape while Lim was asleep. She dragged herself out of the room and eventually left the house, where a neighbor found her and called emergency services. Lim was arrested later that morning.
The victim suffered multiple cuts on both arms, chemical burns on her upper back, and chemical burns to the corneas of both eyes. She required surgery to repair her muscles and ligaments and was given 309 days of hospitalization leave. Although she did not suffer any permanent disfigurement or impairment, the attack left her with significant psychological harm.
Lim was sentenced to four years in jail after pleading guilty to the charges against him. The defense argued that Lim’s offence was a “spur of the moment” decision and that he was suffering from major depression at the time, which impaired his judgment and self-control. However, the prosecution sought a sentence of five to ten years, arguing that the attack had caused significant psychological harm to the victim.
This tragic tale serves as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of jealousy, anger, and despair. It is crucial to seek help and support during difficult times, rather than resorting to violence and harm. Our thoughts go out to the victim as she continues to heal from this traumatic experience.