Fines, driving bans for 9 men who drove recklessly at speeds of up to 173km/h on highways

SINGAPORE — The nine men charged in November with speeding and overtaking other vehicles recklessly on two expressways at speeds of up to 173 km/h have admitted their offences and been fined either S$3,000 or S$5,000 for dangerous driving. 

They were also disqualified from holding or obtaining all classes of driving licences for periods of either 15 or 18 months. 

The nine men are: 

• Sean Choong Zhi Hong, 38 
• Kenneth Fu Yongli, 32
• Louis Lee Ren Jun, 26
• Oh Jia Fu, 27
• Peh Wei Qiang Lincoln, 26
• Lim Yu Shun, 28
• Brian Anthony Yap, 25
• Khoo Ye Siang Ian, 27
• Ang Qi Hao Daryl, 27

Choong and Ang pleaded guilty on Wednesday (Jan 11) to reckless or dangerous driving, while the other seven men had pleaded guilty on Tuesday to the same charge. 

Ang was also sentenced to seven weeks' jail after pleading guilty to seven charges of supplying unregistered health products. Fourteen other charges were taken into consideration for sentencing. 

Court documents stated that another accused person, Jesmond Tan Yong How, 29, was sentenced to 10 days' jail and a driving ban after pleading guilty in December last year to one charge of reckless driving.

'LEISURE DRIVE'

The court heard that sometime before Feb 27 last year, the seven of them and at least five others exchanged messages via Telegram and WhatsApp about a “leisure drive”. 

On Feb 27 at about 2am, more than 30 people, including the nine men and Tan, met at the agreed meeting point — the Grandstand, a mall located at 200 Turf Club Road. 

Court documents did not state if the other people present were dealt with. 

The group then sped in their respective vehicles from the Turf Club Road exit, along the Pan Island Expressway and towards the Clemenceau Avenue exit. 

Closed circuit television footage showed the group speeding in a convoy of more than 30 cars and a 50-second video played in court showed several cars speeding on the outer lane. There were other cars on the road as well. 

According to court documents, the nine men were driving at average speeds of between 137km/h and 173km/h, which is above the speed limit of 90km/h.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Etsuko Lim said that what was couched as a "leisure drive" was in fact a joy ride which could have spontaneously turned into an illegal racing event. 

"They could have caused very serious injury and damage," she said. 

Those convicted of dangerous driving can be fined up to S$5,000, jailed for up to 12 months, or both. Repeat offenders can be fined up to S$10,000, jailed for up to two years, or both.