Jail for man who took the blame for driver in fatal traffic accident

SINGAPORE — A man was driving a car after consuming alcoholic drinks when it struck a power-assisted bicycle (PAB) and the rider later died in hospital.

Teo Kok Meng, 38, then contacted Jacky Tan Kah Kiat, 35, who decided to take the rap for the accident that took place at around 10pm on Sept 27, 2022, court documents stated.

Tan finally told the truth to the police when his statement was recorded at around 2.45pm the next day.

On March 26, he was sentenced to three weeks' jail after pleading guilty to performing an act that could obstruct the course of justice. Teo's case is pending.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Mohamed Riasudeen told the court that at around 8pm on Sept 27, 2022, the two men met at a Bukit Batok coffee shop, where they drank some alcoholic beverages.

They later left the coffee shop and Teo drove Tan home to Teck Whye Avenue.

The DPP said that after Tan alighted, Teo was driving along Choa Chu Kang Avenue 1 at around 10pm when the PAB emerged from the slip road of Teck Whye Avenue.

The car collided with the PAB and the rider, Samuel Seet, 28, was flung onto the road.

A man, who identified himself as "Mr Chua", alerted the police, and paramedics rushed down to the scene soon after.

The paramedics were attending to Seet when Teo called Tan to tell him what had happened.

Tan then walked to the accident scene and met a traffic police investigation officer (IO).

The DPP said that Teo claimed he did not know who had driven the car. Tan then approached the IO and lied that he was the driver.

The prosecutor added: "He did this to shield Teo from any criminal responsibility that could potentially arise from the accident.

"The accused knew that his falsehood would mislead the investigations and is likely to obstruct the course of justice."

Both Tan and Teo were arrested after they failed their breathalyser tests.

An ambulance rushed Seet to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital, where he died shortly before 12.30am, around 2½ hours after the accident.

Later on Sept 28, in the afternoon, Tan admitted to the IO that Teo was the driver of the car when the accident occurred.

This was not the only case this week involving a person who decided to take the blame on another's behalf following an accident.

On March 25, Yuen Zheng Wen, 36, pleaded guilty to driving without due care and attention, resulting in a collision.

He also admitted being part of a conspiracy to perform an act that could obstruct the course of justice.

Yuen was driving a female colleague home in his car in February 2024 when the vehicle struck a traffic light pole.

He then accepted the colleague's offer to swop seats with him and pose as the driver of the vehicle. Yuen will be sentenced in April.

In another unrelated case, a 27-year-old woman, who let her father take the rap for a 2019 accident that she caused, was sentenced to 17 weeks' jail in June 2023. Her 57-year-old father was sentenced to four months' jail in August that year.

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.