Woman faces assault charges over rental car incident

The teen’s mother said her husband eventually handed the group $1,000.

She further testified that on Nov 27, 2024, she suddenly received a call from her son asking to borrow $1,000.

During the call, she faintly heard someone beside him mention “$2,000”. Suspecting that someone was with her son, she could also tell that he was extremely frightened.

She eventually refused his request for money, after which her son hung up.

The following day, he returned home looking dishevelled and with injuries to his face. She then decided to take him to the police station.

Boy’s mother offers to pawn jewellery to pay compensation

During cross-examination by the defence lawyer, the teen’s mother said she was shocked to learn that her son had been involved in the accident, as he was only 17 and did not have a driver’s licence.

She agreed with the lawyer that Chong had not been aggressive or confrontational when speaking to her.

According to the mother, Chong claimed that she did not want the teen’s parents to bear the consequences of their son’s actions. She merely wanted them to understand her predicament.

The mother added that Chong contacted her again the following day, saying she was facing compensation claims from both the motorcyclist and the car rental company.

She told Chong that she was short of money but was willing to pawn her jewellery to raise funds for the compensation.

However, after being advised against it by relatives and friends, she eventually decided not to do so.

Female accomplice testifies the accused kneed teenager in his face

A female accomplice, who was 17 at the time, took the stand as a prosecution witness on Nov 4. Her boyfriend at the time was a friend of Chong’s boyfriend.

She said that on the night of Nov 25, 2024, she and her boyfriend were watching a movie at a cinema when she received a call from Chong’s boyfriend, asking them to meet in Yishun.

The couple then took a private-hire car to a basketball court in Yishun, where they met Chong, her boyfriend and two other male friends.

The group subsequently located the teenager and took him to a staircase landing of a nearby HDB block before bringing him to Lim Chu Kang Muslim Cemetery.

She said four of the male group members took turns punching and kicking the teenager, while two of them produced tasers, which they used to shock him.

She added that after Chong’s boyfriend demanded money from the teenager, Chong stepped forward and kneed him in the face.

Accused’s boyfriend allegedly took boy home to hide facial injuries

The female accomplice said Chong’s boyfriend took the teenager home afterwards, as he did not want others to see the injuries on the latter’s face.

She added that Chong’s boyfriend had at one point instructed the teenager to call his mother to borrow money.

The teenager followed the instructions but could not obtain the money.

Chong’s boyfriend then told him to call a friend to borrow money instead, but that attempt also “came to nothing”.

The accomplice claimed she was using her phone nearby at the time and chatting about topics such as perfume and beauty products before leaving on her own.

Group moved to cemetery after suspecting they were being watched

The female accomplice said two male accomplices had punched the teenager at the staircase landing, with one of them also using a taser on him.

During her testimony, she initially said Chong had noticed someone watching them from the opposite block and suggested moving to the cemetery.

However, when questioned by Chong’s lawyer, she changed her account, saying she could not remember who had spotted the person in the opposite block.

She explained that the incident had happened two years ago and that she was not sure who had noticed the person.

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