SINGAPORE - Two soldiers were sentenced for their roles in the incident leading to the death of actor Aloysius Pang after they pleaded guilty in a military court on Tuesday (Nov 19).

The two men who were in the cabin of the Howitzer gun at that time were Military Expert 2 (ME2) Ivan Teo Gee Siang, 35, and Third Sergeant (NS) Hubert Wah Yun Teng, 31.

Wah was fined $8,000 and if he does not pay, he will be detained for 40 days. The judge also agreed that he be demoted from Third Sergeant to Corporal.

Teo was fined $7,000 and if he does not pay, he will be detained for 35 days.

On Tuesday, they had their charges read to them in their army uniforms at the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Court Martial Centre at Kranji Camp II.

Teo, a regular technician, and Wah, a gun commander, did not display any emotion when their charges were read.

Teo faced three charges: one charge of disobedience of general orders under the SAF Act, and two charges of negligent act endangering life under the SAF Act.

Wah faced two charges: one charge of causing death by negligent act under the Penal Code, and one charge of negligent act endangering life under the SAF Act.

Corporal First Class (NS) Aloysius Pang, an armament technician from the 268th Battalion Singapore Artillery, died on Jan 23, four days after he was seriously injured while in the Singapore Self-Propelled Howitzer (SSPH) during a live-firing exercise in New Zealand.

The 28-year-old operationally-ready national serviceman was injured when he was caught between the back of the gun barrel and the interior of the Howitzer cabin.

Because the accident happened during a live-firing exercise overseas, the Singapore police did not have jurisdiction to conduct investigations into his death.

Investigations were conducted by the SAF's Special Investigation Branch (SIB), and the Chief Military Prosecutor decided to prosecute the two SAF servicemen based on the findings of the SIB.

Tuesday's court martial panel comprised the judge, Lieutenant-Colonel (NS) Shawn Ho Hsi Ming, and panel members Major Quak Lin Hian and Major Ong Zi Jun.

Acting for the prosecution was Chief Military Prosecutor Teoh Ai Lin, who is the Ministry of Defence's director of legal services.

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.