| By Elena Chong |
A MAN barged into his wife's flat, bashed up their Indonesian maid and later plunged 17 floors to his death.
Chen Xiangli had called the police a minute before he leapt from his bedroom window that he had planned to to kill his wife, Madam Lydia Chen Xiu Jin, 30, who had taken out a domestic exclusion order against him.
The order granted in February forbade the 41-year-old gas delivery driver from entering their Eunos Crescent home to harm her.
Madam Chen also had a personal protection order against him in 2004.
The dramatic events leading to his death fall was revealed by investigation officer, Staff Sergeant Kamaruddin Nasrun, of Bedok police division, at an inquiry into his death on Friday.
Staff Sgt Kamaruddin said the couple's Indonesian maid Susanti, 29, was awakened by noise coming from the outside of the flat at about 5am on April 29.
Chen was cutting the padlock, and when she opened the door, the maid saw that his face was red and he was reeking of alcohol.
About half an hour later, a tenant called police that someone was in his landlord's room and he heard a woman scream.
When police arrived, Chen told them the situation was under control.
Chen ran back into his room when the tenant tried to take the hammer tucked behind Chen.
After police entered the flat, Madam Chen and her daughter ran and sought cover behind the officers.
They knocked on the bedroom door and told Chen to calm down and come out but he told them to leave, or else someone inside the bedroom would die.
On learning that Ms Susanti was in the bedroom with Chen, the Singapore Civil Defence Force was activated. They were told to place an airbag on the ground floor and to prepare a team to repel form the upper floor.
At 6.30am., Chen called 999 and said he wanted to kill his wife. Then he jumped out of the bedroom window. Ms Susanti later emerged, bleeding from her head.
Chen, who had left a suicide note in the company lorry, died shortly later in Changi General Hospital.
State Coroner Victor Yeo recorded a verdict of suicide.
