If a loved one has been arrested for a death, act today
If the police are holding your husband, brother, or son in connection with someone’s death, the next 48 hours matter more than any other stage of this case. You need someone who can get into the station, read the paperwork, and tell you what’s real.
I’m Hasif. I’m an Associate Director at A.W. Law LLC, and I work with the firm’s senior counsel on the firm’s homicide and other serious criminal matters at the High Court. Most of the families who call this line have never been inside a police station before. They don’t know what a remand warrant is, or what the charge sheet means, or whether bail is even possible. We’ll walk you through it.
This page gives you the outline. The first 10 minutes with us is free, and nothing commits you.
What a homicide charge in Singapore actually is
“Homicide” is a category, not a single charge. Under the Penal Code 1871, a killing can be charged in three main ways, each with very different consequences.
- Murder (section 300). The most serious. Four limbs, but the headline one is an intention to cause death. Murder under section 300(a) carries the mandatory death penalty. The other three limbs can carry the death penalty or life imprisonment with caning, at the court’s discretion.
- Culpable homicide not amounting to murder (section 304). A killing that doesn’t meet the murder test, often because of provocation, a sudden fight, or diminished responsibility (a recognised mental condition that substantially impaired the accused’s responsibility). Two bands: section 304(a) up to life or 20 years, with a fine or caning; section 304(b) up to 15 years, with a fine or caning.
- Causing death by rash or negligent act (section 304A). A killing without any intent to kill or injure, but through a rash or negligent act. Fatal traffic accidents and workplace deaths are the most common examples. Up to 5 years’ jail or a fine, or both.
All three are heard at the High Court of Singapore, not the State Courts. That changes everything about how the case is run, the seniority of the bench, and the stakes.
If the death was caused by a weapon, read our page on weapons offences too. For the broader category of violent offences, see violent crimes.
When to get a lawyer involved, and it’s already
If someone you know has been arrested in connection with a death, you needed a lawyer yesterday. This is not a matter for later.
Three stages where we step in:
- Remand and first statement. The police can hold the accused for up to 48 hours initially, and then seek court-ordered remand for investigation. What the accused says in the first statement becomes evidence. We cannot be in the interview room in Singapore, but we can visit the accused in remand and brief them before the next session.
- The charge. Once the charge is filed, the case is transferred to the High Court for capital matters or to the State Courts for section 304A. Deadlines move fast. Don’t miss a mention date.
- Bail or no bail. Murder and serious culpable homicide are usually non-bailable. We check if there’s any realistic application we can make, and if not, we focus on the remand and trial preparation.
Our blog on what to do if you get arrested in Singapore has more on rights at the investigation stage.
What to expect from a Singapore homicide case, honestly
How long it takes.
Investigation: 6 to 12 months. Pre-trial preparation at the High Court: several months for disclosure of statements, expert reports, and committal (the formal step that transfers the case from the State Courts to the High Court for trial). The trial itself: 2 to 6 weeks on court time, spread across several months. Total from arrest to verdict: usually 12 to 36 months. Appeal, if there is one, adds another 12 months.
How much it costs.
Honestly, this is the most expensive criminal work in Singapore. Fees for a High Court murder defence commonly run from S$50,000 into six figures, depending on trial length, expert witnesses, and whether Senior Counsel is instructed. A section 304A matter runs lower, often S$15,000 to S$50,000, depending on whether it goes to trial. We set out the full scope and a cap in writing before any paid work. The 10-minute Discovery Session is free. If funds are a genuine issue for a capital matter, the Legal Assistance Scheme for Capital Offences (LASCO) assigns pro-bono counsel, and we can help you engage with that process.
What’s the hard part.
Three things.
One, the mandatory sentences. Murder under section 300(a) is mandatory death. There is no way around the letter of the law. The work is in whether the charge is right in the first place, whether a partial defence brings it down to culpable homicide, and whether the facts even reach the section 300 threshold.
Two, the wait. Your family member may be in remand for a year or more before the trial. Prison visits, bail applications where possible, mental-health support: these become part of the case management.
Three, the press. Homicide cases often attract media attention. We can’t stop that, but we can advise on what not to say in public, on social media, or to friends and relatives who mean well.
How we handle homicide matters at A.W. Law
A few things we do differently:
- Team, not one lawyer. For murder and serious culpable homicide matters, Hasif works with the firm’s senior counsel and, where appropriate, instructed Senior Counsel. You get the depth these cases need.
- Plain-English briefings. Every step is explained to you and the family in words you can follow.
- Remand visits and family contact. We visit the accused, write to you after each visit, and let you know what’s happening and what’s next.
- We reply late. WhatsApp until 10pm on weekdays. These matters don’t wait for office hours.
- Multilingual. English, Malay, or Tamil.
We’re at 133 New Bridge Road, #20-03 Chinatown Point. Two minutes’ walk from Chinatown MRT, Exit E.
What happens next
If an arrest has just happened, or a charge has just been served, the next step is to talk. Book a free 10-min Homicide Defence Discovery Session using the form on this page, or WhatsApp us. If it’s urgent, say so: we prioritise remand cases. You’ll leave the session knowing the likely charge, the likely court, the realistic timeline, and what to do in the next 48 hours. Nothing commits you.
