25-6-2024 (SINGAPORE) A 33-year-old man stands accused of deliberately hiding a woman’s body in a Hougang apartment, leading to its gruesome discovery days later in an advanced state of decomposition.
Jason Hong Kai Qi, a Singaporean national, faced court on Monday (24 June) to answer charges of knowingly concealing a human corpse. The prosecution alleges that on 23 April, at approximately 4:10 pm, Hong had ample reason to report the presence of a dead body in a condominium unit at Block 43 Hougang Avenue 7. Instead, he allegedly chose to leave the premises without alerting authorities.
As a consequence of Hong’s alleged actions, the decomposing remains of Ms Nallur Yang Hui Ying were not discovered until 27 April, a full four days after the initial incident. The charge sheet accuses Hong of actively “preventing the discovery of a human corpse”.
The nature of Hong’s relationship with Ms Yang remains unclear, as does the cause and timing of her death. When Hong was initially charged in April, the case was postponed pending a report from the Health Sciences Authority to determine the circumstances of Ms Yang’s demise. However, this report was not mentioned during Monday’s court proceedings.
The day in court proved to be a protracted affair, stretching from morning until evening due to Hong’s failure to bring identification or his bailor. Hong, who appeared without legal representation, claimed his passport and identity card had been confiscated during a search. When pressed for details, he appeared uncertain about which agency had seized his documents, stating he had filed a police report regarding the matter.
The prosecution requested a six-week adjournment, citing pending reports from the Attorney-General’s Chambers. It was also revealed that Hong is currently under investigation by the Central Narcotics Bureau, adding another layer of complexity to the case.
Hong has been released on bail set at S$20,000 and is scheduled to return to court in August. If found guilty of knowingly concealing a human corpse and impeding its discovery, Hong could face a severe penalty of up to seven years’ imprisonment, a fine, or both.
