Kallang killer gets death penalty, accomplice gets life
Kallang attack spree
For five years, he had been praying for his child to escape the death penalty.
His son, Micheal Garing, 26, had been convicted of the murder of a foreign worker during a violent crime spree in Kallang in 2010.
Yesterday, when everyone was asked to stand up in the courtroom before Micheal was sentenced, Mr Garing Kanyan, 64, sensed that his son was doomed.
His worst fears were confirmed when he heard the words "death by hanging".
In May 2010, general worker Micheal and Tony Imba, 36, who are from Sarawak, Malaysia, murdered Indian national Shanmuganathan Dillidurai, 41, in a parang attack during their eight-hour rampage that left three others injured.
'BAD FEELING'
After his son was sentenced yesterday, Mr Garing told The New Paper that he had a bad feeling when everyone in the courtroom was told to stand, especially after they remained seated when Tony was sentenced to life imprisonment.
He said: "This is a difficult time for our family. As a father, I must not lose hope and will do my best for him. We will be appealing against the death penalty."
Micheal's lawyer, Mr Ramesh Tiwary, confirmed he would be appealing on his client's behalf.
Mr Garing attended the sentencing at the Supreme Court with four family members and friends from Sarawak.
Tony's family was also present at the hearing.
Apart from the life term, he was also ordered to be given 24 strokes of the cane.
His brother, Mr Dom Imba, 45, said outside the court that his family was thankful Tony was spared the death penalty.
Mr Dom, who looked weary and was tearing up, said: "It's the second time that he has seen my mother. And to hear such good news is a relief."
Tony's lawyer, Mr Amarick Gill, said while serving a life term would be gruelling, his client got a fair sentence for what he did.
In his grounds of decision, Justice Choo Han Teck explained why Micheal had received the harsher sentence.
"Tony Imba knocked the deceased victim (Mr Shanmuganathan) off his bicycle and held him while Micheal Garing began his assault," he said.
"But the fatal wounds were not inflicted by Tony Imba and there is no evidence to show that he ever wielded the weapon to cause deadly injuries."
Mr Garing, with his family and friends, waited to speak to Micheal outside the courtroom.
Later, he said that his son, the third of four siblings, had asked for forgiveness.
Mr Garing said: "It was my son's first time working in Singapore.
"Had he not mixed with bad company, all this would not have happened."
Tony and Micheal were part of a gang of four in the Kallang robbery spree.
Another accomplice, Hairee Landak, 23, was jailed for 33 years and given 24 strokes of the cane in 2013 after pleading guilty to armed robbery with grievous hurt.
The fourth robber, Donny Meluda, 24, remains at large.
ABOUT THE CASE
Micheal Garing and Tony Imba were part of a gang of four who killed a man and injured three others in May 2010.
Before murdering Indian national Shanmuganathan Dillidurai, 41, they robbed and slashed three other men - Mr Ang Jun Heng, 22, Mr Sandeep Singh, 27, and Mr Egan Karuppaiah, 42 - between 11pm on May 29 and 7.35am the next day at an open field near Kallang Road.
Mr Sandeep was hit on the head with a brick and slashed, Mr Ang had half of his left palm chopped off and Mr Egan had parts of his fingers sliced off.
Mr Shanmuganathan had a skull fracture, a slash on his neck that severed his jugular vein, a wound in his back so deep his shoulder blade was cracked and a severed hand.
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now