A Singaporean man, Benny Kee Soon Chuan, who was deported from Thailand to face a serious drug trafficking charge in Singapore, is expected to be released from remand following the prosecution’s application for a discharge not amounting to acquittal, reported CNA.
This type of discharge allows authorities to reopen the case if new evidence surfaces.
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Kee, 32, was initially charged with conspiring with Low En Quan Justin to traffic methamphetamine in December 2020. The alleged scheme involved a parcel containing at least 2kg of methamphetamine, intended for delivery to a recipient named “Senthil Kumar” at Orchard Towers. Kee was accused of instructing Low to collect the parcel, with Low eventually pleading guilty to attempting to traffic 249.99g of meth and receiving 22.5 years’ imprisonment and 15 strokes of the cane.
Kee had been living abroad since April 2016 and was apprehended in Thailand in September last year. Reports suggested he was “living in luxury” in Samut Prakan province, south of Bangkok, before his deportation.
His lawyer, Mr Ramesh Tiwary, maintained that Kee is innocent and welcomed the discharge application, noting that Kee is “very grateful to be reunited with his family” after spending more than 11 months in remand.
The discharge not amounting to acquittal underscores that while Kee will be released for now, the prosecution retains the right to pursue the charge should further evidence emerge. Singapore’s Central Narcotics Bureau had linked Kee to both Low’s case and another separate drug trafficking case in November 2022.
This development highlights the judicial system’s ability to balance legal safeguards with ongoing investigations, ensuring that cases can be revisited if new information arises while also allowing for temporary relief for individuals awaiting trial.