When a Senior Man Goes Mysterious: The Case of Mr. Leck Swe Chua
Picture this: an 80‑year‑old, gentle soul who had spent decades in the streets of Hougang suddenly vanishes. By day three, his body is discovered in an unlikely spot—a metal grate in a drain on Defu Lane. The coroner, Adam Nakhoda, hasn’t ruled this a murder or an accident. Instead, he gave it an open verdict. Let’s break down the story, with a dash of humor and heart.
Step‑by‑Step: How It All Flipped
- Jan 1, 2023: Mr. Leck, the resident peace‑keeper, leaves home and heads to a car park at Defu Lane. He’s famous for dozing off in the parking lot with an old funeral‑costume colleague (yes, he even took up that hobby).
- Jan 3, 2023: At roughly 7:10 pm, cops find his body wedged in a kitchen‑size metal grating seam—yes, it was a kitchen but, uh… within a drain.
- Jan 3, 2023 (briefly before discovery): The cameras capture Mr. Leck washing his hands in a puddle, hopping in and out of the car park six times. He doesn’t get out on the 7th round. The rain starts to pour.
The Muggy Weather Connection
It boils down to a bit of heavy rainfall at nighttime. The coroner deduced that as the water turned the city into a mini‑River Thames, it might have carried Mr. Leck toward the metal grate. The tiny (and somewhat inconvenient) detail of his clothes—shorts, wallet, and phone—being found elsewhere in the park adds to the mystery, but nobody’s convinced it was foul play.
A Dementia‑Dramed Life
- Mr. Leck’s doctor diagnosis: Dementia (2020). By 2021, he could remember only past events – no fresh memories in sight.
- Partner, Madam Yap: “No financial drama, no suicidal thoughts, and no personal conflict.”
- Historical note: He’d been missing twice before, each time returning home on his own (silver linings of the past!).
Call Attempts: The “Where‑Are‑You‑Ladies” Story
- First call: Mr. Leck says he’s at a temple. She hunts down a bustling temple but finds nothing.
- Second call: He says he’s at a traffic junction—no sat answers.
- Third call: He answers, but goes radio‑silent.
Between those calls, the evidence suggests Mr. Leck was disoriented at the parking lot that afternoon.
Final Verdict & Sincere Condolences
In a nutshell, the coroner couldn’t tie the strands of investigation into a single thread of “murder” or “accident.” The fishy rain, the loss of personal items, and a possible case of dementia‑induced disorientation leave us with an open verdict. As always, Adam Nakhoda sends heartfelt condolences to the grieving family—though they were out of the courtroom that day.
Why We Remember Him
Mr. Leck’s life reminds us of the quiet, ordinary people who make up our neighborhoods. Whether he’s lost a puzzle piece of memory or simply misplaced his phone, he remains a small, yet monumental, story in our community’s tapestry.
