THREE months ago, he had sat in the dock with his arms folded while waiting for a friend to pay his $1,200 fine.
Lee Kok Leong, who had pleaded guilty to two counts of mischief, reportedly told journalists then: "Fine, then fine lah. After all, I can afford it. I can spend $4,000 in one night on karaoke."
When asked if he regretted damaging the property of his neighbours at Laguna Park, media reports then quoted him as saying: "What's there to regret? What's done is done. I am not remorseful."
Yesterday, Lee, former chairman of the condominium's management committee, was back in court for the second time - after the prosecution applied to the Court of Appeal to present evidence that Lee was not remorseful after his sentencing. The prosecution is also seeking to increase the 62-year-old businessman's punishment.
On April 21, Lee was fined $1,200 by District Judge Soh Tze Bian for committing acts of mischief at Laguna Park last August because of a dispute over the proposed collective sale of the estate in Marine Parade. Lee could have been jailed up to a year or fined, or both.
Yesterday, Judge of Appeal, Justice Chao Hick Tin, ordered that the evidence - testimonies of three journalists from The Straits Times, The New Paper and my paper - be presented before DJ Soh for a hearing to record the facts.
No judgment will be passed at this stage, but the recordings will be submitted to the Court of Appeal for assessment.
On Aug 25 last year, Lee had put super glue in the keyholes of the padlock and gates of Mr Yap Cher Sim's flat.
He did the same to Ms Alice Elizabeth Rappa's flat.
Both Mr Yap and Ms Rappa had been among those who opposed the en bloc sale of the condominium, which Lee was pushing because he wanted the cash for his retirement. Last December, approval from Laguna Park residents surpassed the 80 per cent requirement, allowing the en bloc sale of the condominium to proceed.
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