SINGAPORE: A van driver on trial for attempted murder – after running over a fellow contraband cigarette dealer – was convicted on Monday (Jun 29) of a lower charge.
Toh Sze Ee, a 51-year-old Singaporean, was found guilty of voluntarily causing grievous hurt by a dangerous weapon in the form of the van.
The judge rejected his claim that he had fallen asleep briefly at the wheel shortly before the collision and that he had not intended to run over the victim, 32-year-old Hossen Selim, a Bangladeshi.
The judge also found that Toh had motive for wanting to cause grievous hurt to the victim, since Mr Hossen had been arrested by Singapore Customs and Toh feared being implicated.
THE CASE
Toh had originally claimed trial to a charge of attempted murder after running over the victim with a van on Mar 16, 2023 along Kaki Bukit Avenue 5.
Mr Hossen suffered serious injuries that rendered him comatose and he was taken back to Bangladesh after a period of hospitalisation. He died in February 2025.
Justice Andre Maniam said the central issue in the case was whether Toh had voluntarily hit the victim or had fallen asleep seconds before the collision.
He noted that the case had gone to trial on a charge of attempted murder, but that the prosecution submitted at the closing submission stage that the charge should be amended to voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means.
Toh did not object to the suggested amended charge and it was changed accordingly.
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