Man to be held indefinitely instead for killing mother and grandmother after taking LSD

SINGAPORE - A man who fatally stabbed his 56-year-old mother in the heart and punched his 90-year-old grandmother to death after taking mind-altering drug lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) will be confined indefinitely.

The High Court on Friday found that Gabriel Lien Goh, 25, had committed the acts in 2019 but acquitted him of two charges of culpable homicide on the basis of his mental incapacity.

Goh was found to be of unsound mind when he killed the two women at about 7.25pm on Oct 27, 2019 at Block 7A Commonwealth Avenue due to his voluntary consumption of LSD.

The court heard that Goh put a "tab" of LSD - a small square of paper soaked in the drug - under his tongue for about 30 minutes after lunch that day and experienced sensory changes. He took a second tab 1½ hours later out of a sense of curiosity to see more psychedelic colours, the court heard.

The court heard that Goh started taking LSD in December 2018 and had taken the drug on three occasions before the incident. He bought the drugs in Geylang.

He stabbed his mother, Madam Lee Soh Mui, at their flat and attacked his grandmother, Madam See Keng Keng, after she fled to the next-door neighbour's unit.

Justice Valerie Thean ordered Goh to be kept at the Changi Prison Complex medical centre pending further orders from the Law Minister.

[[nid:518780]]

Under the Criminal Procedure Code, in cases where the accused is acquitted on the basis of mental incapacity, the court must order the person to be kept in safe custody and for the case to be reported to the minister.

The law states that the minister may order that person to be confined in a psychiatric institution, prison, or other suitable place of safe custody at the President's pleasure.

It also provides for regular reviews on the person's mental state before any possible discharge.

LSD, also known as acid, is a potent hallucinogen that is known to cause severe panic, paranoia, confusion.

In November 2021, Goh was sentenced to 22 months' jail after he pleaded guilty to consuming LSD before killing his mother and grandmother , as well as to one count each of LSD and cannabis possession.

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