Singapore: 57-Year-Old Charged for Causing Grievous Hurt to Elderly Victim at Woodlands Food Court

A 57-year-old man was charged in connection with a fatal scuffle at a Woodlands food court that led to the death of an elderly man earlier this week.

Teo Eng Chye was charged on December 23 with one count of voluntarily causing grievous hurt.

The charge stems from an alleged dispute with Foo Suan Chew, 73, at the Fork & Spoon food court located at Block 768 Woodlands Avenue 6 on the night of December 21.

According to court documents, the disagreement between the two men escalated into a physical altercation. Teo is accused of assaulting Foo, who sustained a fracture to a cartilage in his larynx. Foo was later taken to hospital, where he subsequently died. The documents did not specify the manner in which the alleged assault caused the injury.

The police said that they received calls for assistance at the eatery at about 9.20 pm on the day of the incident. When officers arrived, Foo was found unconscious and was immediately conveyed to hospital.

On December 23, Teo was ordered to be remanded at the Woodlands Police Division. His case is scheduled to be mentioned in court again on December 30.

If convicted of voluntarily causing grievous hurt, an offender faces a jail term of up to 10 years and may also be fined or caned. However, caning will not apply in Teo's case as he is over 50 years old.