Death of a boy: Benjamin Lim’s case in coroner’s court

by Bertha Henson

SO IT’S finally happening. The coroner’s inquiry into the death of Benjamin Lim, 14, the schoolboy who jumped to his death on the same day he was questioned by police in January, has started.

Now recall that the G had been stingy with information when questions were raised about whether the police interview had anything to do with his death. (In court parlance, it was an “unnatural death” and the cause to be decided by the coroner). The reason for the paucity of info was that nothing should be said that would pre-judge the findings of the coroner or this could be construed as contempt of court.

So what do we know from today? Or, rather what were the key questions that people had that investigators can now answer?

It’s no point asking if Benjamin was guilty of a crime; he was questioned for allegedly molesting an 11 year old girl in a lift. Establishing his guilt or innocence is not the point of a coroner’s case – he has to establish the how, when and where Benjamin died, at least that’s what State Counsel Wong Woon Kwong said.

In Parliament on 1 March this year, Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam had sketched out the police action from the time they went to Benjamin’s school, North View Secondary, to investigate a report made about an alleged molest by a student wearing the school’s PE attire up until when he left the police station with his family for home.

The coroner heard the same version: Five plain clothes policemen. Two unmarked cars. The boy questioned by one officer in front of school staff. He called home, spoke to his mother and was driven to  Ang Mo Kio police division where he was questioned by one officer in an open-plan office. His mother and sister picked him up to go home.

Some light was shed, however, on the school’s end.

School staff viewing CCTV footage identified Benjamin because he was the only student who wore red-rimmed spectacles. Discipline mistress Steff Chan Su Qin who had taught him in Sec 1 found him in the school canteen and told him he was needed in the principal’s office. Benjamin was alone at the time. Principal Chen Fook Pang, who was questioned today, said he had suggested to the police officers that only one officer speak to the student instead of five, and to do so in front of school staff, who included counsellor Karry Lung. He also said he would speak to Benjamin privately first.

There was some discussion about the phone call he made to his mother before going to the police station. While he had remained calm before, the State Counsel said he showed “visible signs of stress as his mother spoke very loudly to him”.

Mr Chen agreed: “At this point, I could hear Benjamin’s mother speaking very loudly, even though the phone was not on speaker mode.” Madam Lung said he started frowning and his replies became softer. She signalled to him that the conversation should end.

Now, who ended the call? The school said it was Benjamin.

There is no dispute that Benjamin and the girl were in the lift together and that Benjamin had touched the back of her left thigh. Initially, while at the school, Benjamin said he had dropped his phone and might have accidentally touched her when he was picking it up. At the police station, he said he had deliberately dropped his phone so that he could touch her.

He told his mother a different story – that he didn’t know what happened. When his mother asked why he admitted to the molest, he gave the strange answer that “people said he did it, then he did it”. Note though this is the State’s version of events. The mother has yet to take the stand.

Today, his father, after viewing the CCTV footage privately today, disputed that molest even took place. Mr Choo Zheng Xi, who is counsel for Benjamin’s family said the father was of the view that there was “no bodily contact” between Benjamin and the girl, just a “brush at the area of the girl’s skirt”.

Now, if you’re looking for answers which belong to the “why” category, like whether Benjamin killed himself because he was remorseful, or terrified of the police or his mother’s scoldings, you’ll be disappointed. Benjamin didn’t leave a suicide note nor anything on his phone to express his feelings. He merely removed a table fan from a desk in front of his  bedroom window and fell how many 14 floors to his death.

In fact, he behaved as usual after he returned home with his mother and sister from the police station. He had lunch and played with his mobile phone at the dining table. Then came this point of contention: a phone call from the school at 4.13 pm which the mother picked up.

The school’s version: School counsellor Karry Lung suggested that the family kept him company instead of sending him to the three-day school camp at Labrador Outdoor Learning Adventure Centre. She suggested that “the camp would not be that comfortable” and Benjamin ” might not eat or sleep well”.  Benjamin’s mother agreed. Ms Lung then gave a record of the conversation in an email to principal Mr Chen.

The mother’s version: Ms Lung told her that after a meeting with the principal, the school had decided not to let Benjamin attend the school camp and wanted him to stay at home to do e-learning instead. The mother said as much to the first responders who reached the home that day.

Another point of contention arose during the hearing: Whether the family and the school had talked about the camp earlier in the day, when the mother and sister rushed to the school upon hearing that Benjamin had been questioned by police. Ms Lung and Ms Chan said yes, but the mother and sister said they had no recollection.

So, some facts, a few versions and some indirect fingering of blame. Seriously, the newest fact is really this: Benjamin was seen at the Child Guidance Clinic when he was seven years old and provisionally diagnosed with “emotional disorder of childhood”. He attended counselling sessions in his primary school until 2011. It seems he would scratch himself when he was angry or upset.

Now what does that have to do with the price of fish, we’re not told yet. The hearing continues tomorrow.

 

Read our articles to find out more about Benjamin Lim’s case:

• Death of a boy: Dealing with officialdom is a big deal for kids
• Death of a boy: Rules of engagement
• Death of a boy: Court of Public Opinion
• Death of a boy: Lawyer v Lawyer
• Death of a boy: Facts and fiction
• Death of a boy: Just what has been clarified?

 

Featured Image by Natassya Diana.

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The post Death of a boy: Benjamin Lim’s case in coroner’s court appeared first on The Middle Ground.

- Bertha Henson