Ladies and Gentlemen,
Singapore’s already damaged reputation of it's legal system took a final blow at the jugular today when the Todd's family walked out of the courtroom after saying through their attorney, they have "lost faith in it's legal system". Please see May 22, 2013 report of the island's state controlled newspaper Straits Times titled”Shane Todd Inquiry: Todd's parents say they will no longer participate"
http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking-news/singapore/story/shane-todd-inquiry-todds-parents-said-they-will-no-longer-participate-
Their disgust at
Singapore’s one party city state's legal system did not come up suddenly. Ever since the inquiry stated some weeks ago, the
Singapore Judge, as they are accustomed to, was simply behaving as if they could do anything they want. But this case was somewhat different. They weren’t dealing with their helpless
Singapore citizens or "digits" as Lee Kuan Yew, the
Singapore strongman had called them. This time they were dealing with an American family with some clout, whose son was clearly murdered but the Singaporeans want it to look like suicide; and that makes a very big difference.
The Todds were complaining ever since the case started that the prosecution were springing new witnesses on them with no opportunity to investigate, the crime scene was altered and evidence removed, Todd's laptop computer was broken into and corrupted and they were not given sufficient time to work their case.
But the worst mistake they did was to choose a wrong candidate for suicide. Shane Todd was a 31 year old lively young man with a great career, a girlfriend and a new job waiting for him in the
US after he quit his
Singapore one. He certainly doesn’t look as someone who would want to end it all. Singapore government officials who certainly have briefed and instructed the judge in this case, since that is how it happens in every sensitive case, have mistakenly or more probably in their arrogance overlooked the fact that pinning the label of suicide requires a knowledge of the mindset of the victim. You don't do that with a young man with confidence, a successful career and full of life.
As it happens May 22, 2013
Singapore time was the last straw. At the court,
Singapore had once again tried to spring a surprise witness on the Todd family, this time a French man who claims to have had dinner with Todd one day before he died, an account disputed by the Todd family. It seems that this surprise witness Luis Alejandro Andia Montes, only arrived on Saturday and was supposed to leave on Tuesday and therefore they could not accede to the Todd family request to have the matter adjourned to just one further day to enable an investigation into this man's statement.
By any standards, by this denial of a very reasonable request, the
Singapore court has once again very successfully shown that it is indeed nothing but a Kangaroo Court, sitting not at the behest of justice but at the behest of Lee Kuan Yew and his one party government. Anyway you look at it; no one is harmed by giving the Todd family one more day. And any court with any grey matter in their heads would realize that especially since this case has attracted such international scrutiny, all the more reason to show the utmost co-operation to the family of the deceased to arrive at the truth.
With the Todd family now absent, and their lawyers discharged and no more evidence from the Todds, the Singapore government it seems will carry on with their opera with a carefully written script and finally arrive at their pre-determined verdict, minus the Todds. The verdict is going to be suicide, not only for the late Shane Todd, and pardon the pun, also for the reputation or the lack of it, for
Singapore’s legal system.
Gopalan Nair
Attorney at Law
A Singaporean in Exile
Fremont, California, USA
Tel: 510 491 4375
Email:
nair.gopalan@yahoo.com
15 comments:
Unfortunately for the Todd family, this news broke the day after they left the courts:
http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/world/inquest-into-us-scientists-death-resumes/story-e6frfkui-1226648381199
The Singapore Coroner's court forgot it's inquisitorial role and is treating it as adversarial. The Todd family was doomed from the start. Is this fair inquiry? By bringing in 2 Chief Medical Examiners from the U.S. To disprove the star witness of the Todd family to give weight to their version of facts is clearly bullying the family to submission. This reminds me of the controversial case of the Filipino maid Flor Contemplacion where U.S. Pathologists were relied on. But that was an adversarial case of murder. Rely on your own country's expertise Singapore.
The plot thickens.
Todd had met Huawei officials, inquest hears
- The US engineer was present at a meeting with “high management” at Huawei on April 19 the same year, Mr Lo told the inquiry.
- Mr Lo has said Todd was also present at a June 5 2012 meeting to discuss the project with Huawei.
- He was found dead in his apartment on June 24 2012, two days after he left his job at IME.
The 31-year-old American was working for IME on the development of gallium nitride (GaN), a substance with commercial and military uses ranging from light-emitting displays and mobile phone base stations to radar and satellite communications.
According to written testimony submitted to the inquiry by Mr Lo, IME and Huawei began discussing a GaN collaboration in July 2011.
Mr Tai asked: “Doesn’t your obligation to tell the truth override customer confidentiality.”
Mr Lo said: “I frankly tell you, I do not know.” [Patrick Lo, deputy executive director of research at the Institute of Microelectronics (IME)]
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/dbb9e2e6-c14b-11e2-9767-00144feab7de.html#axzz2TywHDxHn
Feds: 3 scientists conspired to take Chinese bribes for their U.S. research
So, very plausible that PRC orign employees at Singapore's IME were doing work for Huawei. Diitt for some Singapore born PRC-lovers too.
Understand why Shane Todd was concerned.
http://edition.cnn.com/2013/05/21/us/new-york-researchers-charged/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
Hey Americans, beware of working in Singapore.
Shane Todd -
the original autopsy report by Singaporean state pathologist Wu Jiahao.
Wu Jiahao is from the PRC, one of LKY's FT. Wu Jiahao is a commie name for sure. Singaporean Chinese names will be like, Tan, Wong, Lee, Lim.
Mr Tai asked: “Doesn’t your obligation to tell the truth override customer confidentiality.”
Mr Lo said: “I frankly tell you, I do not know.” [Patrick Lo, deputy executive director of research at the Institute of Microelectronics (IME)]
--------
I [Mr. Lo] have to check with my PRC handlers and the local representative, LKY's PAP, before I can answer that question.
Mr Tai asked: “Doesn’t your obligation to tell the truth override customer confidentiality.”
Mr Lo said: “I frankly tell you, I do not know.” [Patrick Lo, deputy executive director of research at the Institute of Microelectronics (IME)]
I found the exchange above to be truly disturbing. Morally bankrupt, when truth is secondary to other things. Is this the norm in Singapore?
So, by extension, it is very possible that the pathologist, Wu Jiahao, may not be telling the truth as the real findings may indicate nefarious activities by Huawei or LKY's secret police?
???
Will the Judge [Chay Yuen Fatt] allow the truth to be presented or be steered by other forces.
Based on his actions, I have concerns.
When the judge declined to grant the postponement the six members of the Todd family rose from their seats, offered the customary bow to the judge’s chair, and left the courtroom.
The judge later granted the postponement.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/61abf6aa-c21e-11e2-8992-00144feab7de.html#axzz2U8D3wyue
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Montana family exits son's Singapore death court case, calls process "a complete joke"
http://www.kbzk.com/news/montana-family-exits-son-s-singapore-death-court-case-calls-process-a-complete-joke-/
"Commit suicide". Exactly what we hope will happen to LKY and his little son.
Singapore police acknowledge violating protocols in investigation of American's death
Singapore police ... admitted on the last day of a coroner's inquest Monday that they deviated from official protocols
1) by not dusting for fingerprints or collecting DNA samples, and
2) by examining the contents of a laptop computer there.
The Todds have said that while they were in Singapore, they found a hard drive in their son's apartment that contained thousands of documents he had backed up from his work computer. After having it analyzed by a computer forensics expert, they found a draft of a project outline between Singapore's Institute of Microelectronics -- Shane Todd's former employer -- and Chinese telecom giant Huawei on the development of a device that utilized gallium nitride.
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/05/27/singapore-police-acknowledge-violating-protocols-in-investigation-american/
Washington Post
The Todds have said that their next step will be to urge a U.S. congressional investigation into their son’s death. “If our government wants to talk about industrial espionage and murder, we’re more than willing to help,” Rick Todd said.
---
LKY will not be getting any help from Israel or its lobbyists in the US Congress this time.
Because of China's dealings with Iran, Israel's mortal enemy, and the fact that a Huawei (a PRC spy outfit) is involved in this case.
Me thinks that LKY and his son have become persona-non-grata with the Americans, the Israeli's and the Jewish Lobby.
Kryptonite.
When Congress holds a hearing, you, GN, should petition to called to testify.
have you all ever thought that Shane might be killed by a Chinese agent or killed by his fellow American agent and either countries pressure Singapore court to frame Shane's death as murder?
Forget about the Todd case, the real scandal is the verdict against Prof. Tey Tsun Hang of NUS Law school. They have really destroyed him now and if you've read what he wrote about the Singaporean judiciary, you instantly know why. Singaporean courts are one big joke and the guy laughing behind the scenes is LKY.
Anonymous Anonymous said...
Forget about the Todd case, the real scandal is the verdict against Prof. Tey Tsun Hang of NUS Law
-----
He couldn't keep his dick in his pants. What's that got to do with LKY?
Bottom Line
Shane Todd was murdered
Singapore govt doesn't give a stuff - just pour millions into 'proving' it was suicide.
American govt doesn't give a stuff - just say the process was 'fair and transparent' and wash hands, problem gone.
Singaporeans rise up. Don't keep taking this crap from the Lee family empire. Rise up, demand better. A small country can force change fast
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