Another gruesome murder trial

Singapore High Court released the judgment of PP v Aguilar Guen Garlejo on May 29, 2006.

There are a few similarities between the case of PP v Aguilar Guen Garlejo and PP v Leong Siew Chor (I have blogged this earlier).

1. Both cases happened in Singapore in year 2005. (September 2005 and June 2005)
2. The accused dismembered the deceased's body.
3. The deceased are foreigners. (Phillipines and PRC)
4. Public transport was used to transport the decease's body parts. (MRT and cab)
5. The body parts were thrown to reservoir or river.

Part of the judgment of PP v Aguilar Guen Garlejo:

"The accused then headed back to the Sunglade apartment where she systematically dismembered the deceased’s body and placed the body parts into a bag and a suitcase. The accused asserts all this was done while she was in a state of bewilderment. Her mind was still numb and whirling with shock that she had killed her best friend.
.....
On the following day, she took a taxi to Orchard Road and placed the bag containing the deceased’s head near the Orchard Road MRT station. Later she proceeded to MacRitchie Reservoir where she placed the suitcase near a public footpath within clear view, making no effort to conceal it. The accused cannot explain why she did this."

Is this a mere coincidence or copycat act? This should be an interesting research topic for the criminologist.

Chief Justice of Singapore, in his speech to the new lawyers, reminded them about the relationship between law and life. I found it very inspiring.

"The practice of the law is a great learning and a teaching life experience. You will learn more law and more about the law as you progress in your profession. The experience that you acquire from your interactions with your clients will teach you many lessons about life that you will not find in many other professions. Become a criminal lawyer, and you will see the darker and seamier side of life and learn of its harsh realities. Become a corporate lawyer, and you will see the profit-orientated and business-minded world, and learn of the human motivations that are driven by a materialistic life. Become a family law lawyer, and you will see the social problems of failed or dysfunctional families, and a side of life you have never seen before. Then, you may begin to understand and have more compassion for those who are less fortunate and the problems they endure.

Then, you may begin to appreciate all the social and other problems of society, as has been said often, from the womb to the tomb. In a modern society governed by the law, if there is a desire to help people to cope with their lives, the law is a good career choice for you. "