18 Years' Jail For Woman Who Killed Adoptive Father Over Flat Ownership

Murder charge reduced to culpable homicide after she was found to have delusional disorder

- Selina Lum

A 31-year-old woman who was suffering from persecutory delusions became frightened that her adoptive father would kick her out of the family's Sengkang flat after her adoptive mother died of cancer.

After he rejected her demand to be added as an owner of the flat, she killed him at home with a chopper.

On July 14, Tan Qiu Yan was sentenced to 18 years' jail after she pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder for the killing in November 2022.

She was originally charged with murder, but was found to be suffering from a delusional disorder that diminished her mental responsibility for her actions.

Tan was adopted by Mr Tan Ah Bang and Madam Koh Li Hua in 1992 when she was a baby.

After Madam Koh was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2019, she promised her daughter her share of the flat.

However, the flat was owned by Tan's parents as joint tenants, which meant that when Madam Koh died, her share automatically passed to Mr Tan.

Madam Koh died on Aug 29, 2022.

During the wake, father and daughter quarrelled several times over the flat and other assets.

Mr Tan, 67, told his daughter in a fit of anger to move out, but later relented and promised to transfer the whole property to her.

Fearing that she would be homeless if he did not keep his promise, she bought the biggest knife she could find at a supermarket.