Celine Ng Swee Peng and Ang Soo Hoon, both 36, once set up a cafe together. They also shared an apartment and celebrated their birthdays together. However, Ng's highly decomposed body was found in a nearby park and Ang is now charged with her murder.

Ms Ng was a property agent and Ang is a derivatives trader. According to the report in The New Paper today (Jul 14), Ang allegedly killed Ms Ng between 3am and 9.50am on May 26. The murder allegedly took place at the West Bay Condominium at West Coast Crescent, which the two women shared.

Ms Ng had been reported missing on May 28 by her family members, and her body discovered in a forested area off Clementi Road on July 5. Police confirmed the identity of the body as belonging to Ms Ng on Tuesday (Jul 12).

Ang was arrested at East Coast Park at around 11pm on Monday (Jul 11), and she appeared in court the next day. The court session was attended by over 20 friends, and those whom The New Paper spoke to said they were 'taken aback by the sudden turn of events' and they all agreed that it was 'unexpected'.

According to the report, most of the friends who turned up in court were part of a close circle that included Ms Ng and Ang. One of them knew them for about 16 years and last saw them only in April this year. Ms Ng and Ang have been friends for about 10 years.

In January, they moved into the apartment that Ms Ng had bought, and also celebrated Ms Ng's birthday with a party on May 25, the day before the actual date. Several other friends also turned up for the party.

In September 2009, Ms Ng and Ang also opened a cafe called Cups and Mugs with another friend at One North Gateway in Buona Vista. However, the venture closed down after about a year as business was not very good.

Ang's family did not show up for the court session, while Ms Ng's family visited the spot where her body was found at around 11am yesterday (Jul 13).

In the session held yesterday, the court has granted the prosecution's request for Ang to be remanded at the Central Police Division, with permission to be taken out for further investigation. Ang will next appear in court on July 20 and will face the death penalty if convicted of murder.

Read more about the case in Courtroom:
Body found near NUS: Female housemate charged with murder