A 37-year-old Singaporean man has been given a nearly four-year jail term for attempting to frame his estranged wife by placing cannabis in her car.
Believing that he had placed over half a kilo of cannabis in his wife’s car, Tan Xianglong thought this amount would lead to the death penalty for drug trafficking in Singapore, which has strict anti-drug laws to deter drug-related crimes. However, it was later discovered that less than half of the substance planted by Tan was cannabis, with the rest being filler.
Court documents revealed that Tan intended to get her into legal trouble with a clear understanding of the severe consequences she would face if his plan succeeded.
The Singaporean Man received a three-year and 10-month prison sentence for cannabis possession and also faced an additional charge of illegal planting of evidence.
The couple married in 2021 but separated a year later. Due to Singapore’s divorce laws, they could not file for divorce as it is only permitted for couples married for at least three years. Tan believed his wife might qualify for an exception to this rule if she had a criminal record.
In his conversations with his Singaporean girlfriend on Telegram, he discussed devising the “perfect crime” to implicate his wife.
On October 16, he purchased a brick of cannabis and placed it in his wife’s car, intending to frame her; however, he did not anticipate that her car had a camera system, which recorded his actions and alerted her to a potential incident.
Upon checking the footage, his wife observed his actions, and she reported him to the police for harassment. Subsequent investigations led to the discovery of the drugs in the car and the arrest of Tan’s wife. However, after finding no evidence against her, the police turned their attention to Tan and arrested him.
During the trial, Tan’s lawyer claimed that he was suffering from depression when he committed the crime. Still, the court dismissed this defence based on medical findings that showed no evidence of a mental disorder.
The possession of drugs in Singapore can lead to imprisonment, while drug trafficking can result in the death penalty, depending on the substance and quantity seized.
Despite being liable for a five-year prison sentence, Tan’s cooperation in the legal proceedings and early guilty plea resulted in a reduced term, as stated in court documents.
Last year, Singapore executed two convicted drug traffickers within a short period despite objections from international human rights organisations.