Woman accused of killing husband in Ang Mo Kio 'of unsound mind'
A 57-year-old woman who was charged with killing her 63-year-old husband in 2019 has been certified by the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) to be of unsound mind and incapable of defending herself in court.
As a result, the High Court on Friday ordered a stay of the proceedings against Chinese national Wang Shuzhen, who allegedly killed Mr Teh Hock Pine, a retired policeman, in their Ang Mo Kio flat in the early hours of Oct 27, 2019.
The court also directed the case to be reported to the Law Minister and ordered Wang to be detained in Changi Prison pending further orders by the minister.
Under the Criminal Procedure Code, the minister may order the accused to be confined in a psychiatric institution, or any other suitable place of safe custody.
The contents of IMH's report, dated Sept 28, 2022, were not disclosed in open court in Friday's remote hearing.
At the hearing, Wang's assigned lawyer, Ms Sadhana Rai, applied to discharge herself.
Ms Rai said Wang has "a delusional belief that my colleagues are involved in some way or another with her husband".
The lawyer said Wang can apply for legal aid again if her mental state improves in future.
Wang was charged on Oct 28, 2019, with the murder of Mr Teh. She was 54 years old at the time.
Police said they responded to a case of unnatural death at Block 633 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 6 at 5.46am on Oct 27, 2019.
Mr Teh was pronounced dead by paramedics and Wang was arrested at the scene.
The murder charge was reduced to one of culpable homicide in 2021.
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