All casesHomicideToa Payoh ritual murders
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Toa Payoh ritual murders

Two children were killed in Singapore in 1981; three adults were convicted of murder.

Place
Toa Payoh, Singapore
Date
24 Jan–6 Feb 1981
Status
SolvedAuthorities consider the case resolved, usually after identifying or convicting the responsible person.
Sources
2 cited sources

Reviewed by Global Case Archive editorial desk

Last reviewed 16 Aug 2026 · What reviewed means →

Overview

What is documented

Agnes Ng Siew Heok disappeared from Toa Payoh on 24 January 1981, and Ghazali bin Marzuki disappeared less than two weeks later. Evidence connected both deaths to a nearby flat occupied by Adrian Lim, Tan Mui Choo, and Hoe Kah Hong. [1]

The three accused were tried in Singapore’s High Court in 1983. Their diminished-responsibility defences were rejected, and all three were convicted of murder. The Court of Appeal later dismissed the appeals brought by Tan and Hoe. [2]

Essential facts

Who
Agnes Ng Siew Heok and Ghazali bin Marzuki were the victims. Adrian Lim, Tan Mui Choo, and Hoe Kah Hong were convicted.
What
The abduction and killing of two children, followed by a High Court trial and murder convictions.
Where
Toa Payoh, Singapore, with key evidence recovered from a flat in Block 12, Lorong 7.
When
Between 24 January and 6 February 1981.
How
Investigators followed physical evidence to the flat and assembled a circumstantial case supported by forensic findings and witness testimony.

Record history

Source reviewThe current summary, status, and citations were reviewed by the editorial desk.

No material corrections have been recorded for this version.
Selected viewing

Case videos

1 editor-selected video

These videos were selected for clarity, sourcing, and relevance. Inclusion does not mean the archive endorses every claim they contain.

Black Magic: The infamous Toa Payoh child-killer

Mediacorp / Inside Crime Scene

A Singapore-produced documentary segment examining the case and the diminished-responsibility arguments at trial.

Play videos with YouTube’s privacy-enhanced player or open the original upload and channel.

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