A local businessman was arrested on Friday for domestic violence, allegedly hurting his wife and two children and threatening to kill them with a knife, Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Ho Chan Nam said during a regular press conference yesterday.
The 56-year-old suspect surnamed Ieong married his wife, who is in her forties, in 2012, and they have a 5-year-old son and 12-year-old daughter. The family lives in the city centre.
According to Chan, Ieong’s wife rang the police early on Friday saying that she and her two children had been attacked by her husband who was threatening to kill them. She told the police that when her son wanted to switch on a tablet computer in their home at around 7 p.m. on Thursday, his father, who appeared to be in a bad mood, slapped him.
After dinner, Ieong once again lost his temper after he had complained that his daughter only liked to watch TV and did not take care of her younger brother. He slapped his daughter and hit her on the head with a plastic box. His wife tried to stop him but Ieong pulled her hair and kicked her in the abdomen.
Chan said that as Ieong was still furious at his wife and children after the attack he took a 7-centimetre-long universal knife from the kitchen to threaten them, shouting that he would “kill the whole family”.
His wife was scared that her children would be injured and so decided to hide with them in a locked bedroom from where she called the police for help. When Ieong overheard his wife calling the police he left the flat.
According to Chan, PJ officers intercepted Ieong in the car park of the building. His wife told the police that her husband had become addicted to gambling in recent years and easily became irritable whenever he lost money.
She also said that her husband had been violent at home since last year and that she had reported an incident of domestic violence at their home to the police once before.
Upon questioning, Ieong denied his wife’s claim of domestic violence. However, based on the information provided by his wife and the two children, and a forensic examination of the injuries sustained by the three victims, the police believe that last week’s incident involved domestic violence, according to Chan.
Ieong was transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP) on Friday, facing charges of domestic violence, use of a prohibited weapon and severe coercion. Chan said that the police have notified the Social Welfare Bureau (IAS) about the case for follow up.
Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Ho Chan Nam poses before yesterday’s regular press conference. Photo: Camy Tam
