'I have an unreasonable request': Teen accused of murdering father in Yishun remanded further

SINGAPORE - The teen accused of murdering his father in Yishun will be remanded for another week.

Sylesnar Seah Jie Kai, 19, is accused of murdering his father, Mr Eddie Seah Wee Teck, 47, on Oct 10, between the 4th and 5th floor of Block 653 Yishun Avenue 4 where they live.

The teen appeared in court via video link on Thursday, dressed in a red polo tee.

He was represented by Mr Sunil Sudheesan from Quahe Woo and Palmer.

The prosecution had applied for Sylesnar Seah to be remanded further, saying that police investigations were only in their infancy.

The prosecution added that there was much investigative work still needed to be done, including statement recording, retrieval of key exhibits and bringing the accused back to the scene for site visitation.

Mr Sudheesan had asked the court for access to his client for one hour.

He said: "I am making myself available any time today to speak to the accused person... all I'm asking for is one hour."

But the prosecution had objected to this, saying that the police needed to do their investigations properly and objectively.

District Judge Terence Tay agreed with the prosecution, but ordered that the Law Society's pamphlet of rights be provided to the accused.

Sylesnar Seah will be remanded at Central Police Division, with permission to be brought out for investigations.

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Before the hearing concluded, he had tried to address the court, but was stopped by the judge.

Sylesnar Seah said: "I'll be honest with you, I would like to make an unreasonable request. I already provided all the evidence, I'll cooperate in any way possible. But I have an unreasonable request as this deals with sentencing, with my life... even if the sentence is lightened..."

Judge Tay then stopped him, saying it might not be appropriate for him to continue.

Sylesnar Seah is scheduled to appear in court via video link again on Oct 20.

Business records list the victim and his wife as partners in a business that deals in the buying, selling and rental of properties.

The couple, who had been married since 1994, have two sons and a daughter. The family lives in a unit on the fifth floor.

The accused is their youngest child.

The police said they received a call for help at 7.05pm, but when officers got to the scene, they found the victim lying motionless outside a residential unit.

He was pronounced dead by paramedics, and Sylesnar Seah was arrested at the scene.

Those convicted of murder face the death penalty.

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