SINGAPORE: A man who was leaving Woodlands Checkpoint was stopped by an Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officer who noticed that his car's fuel tank was only a quarter full.
This was in violation of the rule requiring vehicles leaving Singapore to have their fuel tanks at least three-quarters full.
When the ICA officer asked the driver, Steve Ling Wei Liang, to provide his passport, Ling allegedly drove off with the officer still caught in his window, injuring him.
Ling, a 40-year-old Singaporean, went on trial on Monday (Nov 10) for one count of causing hurt to Mr Tan Yi Loong by stepping on the accelerator and dragging him along his car, causing a right knee contusion.
The first prosecution witness who took the stand was Mr Tan, the victim.
He joined ICA in 2020 and was at Woodlands Checkpoint on Dec 12, 2023 as a first response team officer.
Mr Tan said he was deployed as a "departure car officer" and was the deputy team leader that day.
He said his duties included assisting in fuel gauge checks and anything related to security incidents, such as escorting people who are wanted by the police.
Explaining the fuel gauge operation, Mr Tan said officers are to check on vehicles departing Singapore to see if they have fulfilled the requirement to have a tank that is at least three-quarters full.
He explained that his team would minimise traffic to one lane, slow down the vehicles and ask the drivers to wind down their windows so that the officers could check the fuel gauges.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Quek Lu Yi then asked Mr Tan how his shift ended that day.
"It ended with me going to hospital," Mr Tan replied. "As a result of me being dragged by the car."
Ms Quek then played footage of the incident, showing Mr Tan checking on a red car. When asked if he remembered the car, Mr Tan said he did.
"How do you recognise this red car?" asked Ms Quek.
"It drag me before. So I remember," Mr Tan said.
Asked what he recalled of his interaction with Ling, Mr Tan added: "I remember that he refused to comply. So when I was telling him that he committed a fuel gauge offence, I required his passport to be given to me."
"He told me that, sir, give me chance ah, I cannot go court," said Mr Tan. "Then he was going forward as he was talking to me, like slowly inching forward."
Mr Tan said that when Ling started inching forward, he would have repeated: "Sir, stop the car".
"He did not want to give me the passport," said Mr Tan. "He keep telling me, that sir, give me chance, I cannot go to court."
He then instructed Ling to stop the car.
Footage showed the red hatchback lurching forward towards the right, with Mr Tan still caught in the window and another officer moving forward to help.
Mr Tan explained that when the vehicle moved forward, he instinctively reached out to steady himself and ended up grabbing the steering wheel.
"I remember when he moved the car, he was looking at me and I was looking at him," said Mr Tan. "While grabbing onto the steering wheel with my right hand and my left hand grab onto him. So we were both in shock."
He added that Ling tried to leave the checkpoint.
At that time, Mr Tan said there were "many things going on in my brain" because Ling could have driven off and dragged him along, or he could have crashed into other vehicles.
Ling, who was unrepresented, listened to this segment in the dock while shaking his leg.
Asked how long the car was moving for, Mr Tan said: "Whoa. It felt like forever. Because there were so many unknowns. Nobody gets dragged - this is not normal, right. Because normally, I do my fuel gauge ops, mostly are very compliant people."
He said he felt relieved when the vehicle stopped.
The trial continues. If convicted of a rash act endangering human life, Ling could be jailed for up to a year, fined up to S$5,000 (US$3,840), or both.
Continue reading...
This was in violation of the rule requiring vehicles leaving Singapore to have their fuel tanks at least three-quarters full.
When the ICA officer asked the driver, Steve Ling Wei Liang, to provide his passport, Ling allegedly drove off with the officer still caught in his window, injuring him.
Ling, a 40-year-old Singaporean, went on trial on Monday (Nov 10) for one count of causing hurt to Mr Tan Yi Loong by stepping on the accelerator and dragging him along his car, causing a right knee contusion.
The first prosecution witness who took the stand was Mr Tan, the victim.
He joined ICA in 2020 and was at Woodlands Checkpoint on Dec 12, 2023 as a first response team officer.
Mr Tan said he was deployed as a "departure car officer" and was the deputy team leader that day.
He said his duties included assisting in fuel gauge checks and anything related to security incidents, such as escorting people who are wanted by the police.
Explaining the fuel gauge operation, Mr Tan said officers are to check on vehicles departing Singapore to see if they have fulfilled the requirement to have a tank that is at least three-quarters full.
He explained that his team would minimise traffic to one lane, slow down the vehicles and ask the drivers to wind down their windows so that the officers could check the fuel gauges.
VICTIM TESTIFIES
Deputy Public Prosecutor Quek Lu Yi then asked Mr Tan how his shift ended that day.
"It ended with me going to hospital," Mr Tan replied. "As a result of me being dragged by the car."
Ms Quek then played footage of the incident, showing Mr Tan checking on a red car. When asked if he remembered the car, Mr Tan said he did.
"How do you recognise this red car?" asked Ms Quek.
"It drag me before. So I remember," Mr Tan said.
Asked what he recalled of his interaction with Ling, Mr Tan added: "I remember that he refused to comply. So when I was telling him that he committed a fuel gauge offence, I required his passport to be given to me."
"He told me that, sir, give me chance ah, I cannot go court," said Mr Tan. "Then he was going forward as he was talking to me, like slowly inching forward."
Mr Tan said that when Ling started inching forward, he would have repeated: "Sir, stop the car".
"He did not want to give me the passport," said Mr Tan. "He keep telling me, that sir, give me chance, I cannot go to court."
He then instructed Ling to stop the car.
Footage showed the red hatchback lurching forward towards the right, with Mr Tan still caught in the window and another officer moving forward to help.
Mr Tan explained that when the vehicle moved forward, he instinctively reached out to steady himself and ended up grabbing the steering wheel.
"I remember when he moved the car, he was looking at me and I was looking at him," said Mr Tan. "While grabbing onto the steering wheel with my right hand and my left hand grab onto him. So we were both in shock."
He added that Ling tried to leave the checkpoint.
At that time, Mr Tan said there were "many things going on in my brain" because Ling could have driven off and dragged him along, or he could have crashed into other vehicles.
Ling, who was unrepresented, listened to this segment in the dock while shaking his leg.
Asked how long the car was moving for, Mr Tan said: "Whoa. It felt like forever. Because there were so many unknowns. Nobody gets dragged - this is not normal, right. Because normally, I do my fuel gauge ops, mostly are very compliant people."
He said he felt relieved when the vehicle stopped.
The trial continues. If convicted of a rash act endangering human life, Ling could be jailed for up to a year, fined up to S$5,000 (US$3,840), or both.
Continue reading...