NASTY en-bloc tussles just took a turn for the worse, with the former management- committee chairman of a condominium hauled to court on criminal charges.
Laguna Park's former management- committee chairman, Lee Kok Leong, was brought to a magistrate's court yesterday after a spate of vandalism which plagued the 530-unit Marine Parade condo for months last year.
Then, at least eight cars were scratched or sprayed with corrosive liquid. The vandalised cars had to be repaired at costs ranging from several thousand to tens of thousands of dollars.
Other residents found glue in the keyholes of their doors or mailboxes.
These acts were apparently targeted at residents who were either sitting on the fence or opposed to the en-bloc sale.
Yesterday, the 62-year-old Lee was charged with two counts of mischief.
If he is convicted, he could be fined and jailed up to a year on each charge of committing mischief. Lee, who was represented by lawyer Ramesh Tiwari, allegedly inserted glue into the keyholes of doors at two apartments in Block E of the condo on Aug 25 last year.
He appeared solemn when the charges were read out to him in court, and did not enter a plea.
Six Laguna Park residents were in the public gallery yesterday. Among them was 45-year-old realtor Danny Yap, who found glue in his padlock, main wooden door and rear-gate keyholes on Aug 25 last year.
At that time, he had not voted on the sale of his apartment. "I was not against the en-bloc sale. I had simply asked in June, when we talked, for more time to consider due to personal reasons," he told reporters outside the courtroom.
Mr Yap, who has since given his nod to the collective sale, said more than 80 per cent of Laguna Park's residents have also voted in favour by now - which means the en-bloc sale could go through.
However, the private estate, which sits on 667,000 sq ft of land, has yet to be put up in the market for sale.
Residents told my paper that, since last August, there had been no more cases of vandalism at the condo.
However, residents are still "living in a state of fear", said an elderly resident, who gave his name only as Mr Sng.
Lee, who is not on bail, will return to court on Feb 3.
