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SINGAPORE: A 92-year-old man went on trial on Friday (May 22) for allegedly causing the death of a motorcyclist and injuring a pillion rider after colliding into them at a Holland Road junction three years ago.
Henry Chia Soo Boon, a Singaporean, is accused of causing the death of Mr Mohamed Nasruddin Mohamed Sani, 30, and injuring his wife Ms Norlizdawati Baharudin, 29, with his red Jeep in the evening of Apr 13, 2023.
He is contesting two charges of driving without due care or attention by failing to keep a proper lookout when making a right turn from Holland Road towards Napier Road into Jalan Jelita.
Mr Nasruddin went into a cardiac arrest while being transported to the National University Hospital (NUH) in an ambulance. He suffered large bruising over his forehead and fractures to his hand and wrist, and was pronounced dead on Apr 13, 2023. His cause of death was multiple injuries sustained from a motor vehicle collision.
Ms Norlizdawati suffered abrasions over her lower limb and a CT scan revealed that she had a hemorrhage. She was given 16 days of hospitalisation leave.
Chia was represented by lawyers Mr Beh Eng Siew, Ms Suja Michelle Sasidharan and Mr Shaun Sim Yong Zhao from Lee Bon Leong & Co.
The court heard that the victims and the accused were travelling in opposite directions, with the latter intending to take a right turn at the uncontrolled junction of Holland Road and Jalan Jelita, which had no traffic lights, “give way” or “stop” signs.
The couple was travelling in the rightmost lane of a three-lane road along Holland Road towards Ulu Pandan Road. Both were wearing helmets.
Chia, who was driving the car with his wife in the passenger seat, slowed down before turning right but did not come to a complete stop as he waited for two cars to pass, the court heard.
The motorcycle was behind one of those cars and as Chia turned right, he collided with the pair.
A passer-by called an ambulance and paramedics were activated to convey Mr Nasruddin and Ms Norlizdawati to the hospital. Chia was arrested after 10pm on Apr 13, 2023.
Both the car and motorcycle were damaged following the accident, with their side mirrors ripped off. It could not be determined if there was any possible mechanical failure in both vehicles that could have contributed to the accident, the court heard.
POLICE OFFICER TESTIFIES
The trial opened with Station Inspector (SI) Muhammad Firdaus Suleiman testifying for the prosecution.
The traffic police officer with the fatal accident investigation team had received a call from the traffic operations command centre about 9pm on Apr 13, 2023 about a death along Jalan Jelita.
SI Firdaus testified that an investigation officer attending to the accident scene called him and briefed him on preliminary findings of the accident, identities of the motorcyclist and pillion rider, and details of the other vehicle driver.
SI Firdaus said he then told the investigation officer to take photos of the accident scene, retrieve any footage of the incident, and asked that the car and motorcycle be seized.
He then headed to NUH where he spoke to Mr Nasruddin's sister-in-law and Ms Norlizdawati, who was in a wheelchair.
He told the court that he informed them about the body claiming process and the need for a postmortem. After activating a police hearse to transport the deceased, he returned back to traffic police headquarters to interview Chia.
Several video clips were played in court, including footage obtained from the front car cameras belonging to Chia and an eyewitness. Chia's car could be seen colliding with the motorcycle, causing both Mr Nasruddin and Ms Norlizdawati to be flung out, footage showed.
SI Firdaus told the court that the road surface was dry and the weather was fine on the day of the accident.
The police seized Chia's car and the motorcycle. SI Firdaus noted that a delivery bag was found at the scene, containing perishable items.
During the defence's cross-examination, Chia's lawyer Mr Beh asked SI Firdaus if he had established whether Mr Nasruddin was delivering food at the time of the accident. SI Firdaus replied that the pair was delivering wine, according to what he heard from the pillion rider, Ms Norlizdawati.
Mr Beh also grilled SI Firdaus on whether he had interviewed Chia's wife, who was in the car during the accident. The traffic police officer replied that he did not, saying she was "quite in distress" after the accident.
Mr Beh questioned: "Wouldn't she be a relevant witness, she being a passenger in the car? Despite that, you did not think it was necessary to interview her?" SI Firdaus said he did not and when asked why he had not done so at any point in time, he said: "I have no reason at this moment."
The lawyer also asked SI Firdaus about Chia's car being detained for more than two years and whether it was necessary to do so. The officer responded it was as he "needed to ensure prosecution does not require the car".
The court also heard from Mr Beh about a handphone that was found in Chia's car and later seized by an officer who was at the accident scene. SI Firdaus, who had earlier told the court that no valuables were recovered, said he was not aware of such an item.
The trial continues, with Ms Norlizdawati expected as a witness.
If convicted of causing death by driving without due care and attention, an offender could be jailed up to three years, fined, or both.
