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SINGAPORE: Former local actor Edmund Chen returned to court on Wednesday (Mar 4) to obtain permission to travel to China and Japan.<\/p>\n
Chen, 64, is on bail pending his appeal against a five-day jail term for careless driving on an expressway that resulted in fractures to a motorcyclist.<\/p>\n
The prosecution did not object to the application to travel, but noted that Chen’s flight risk, while low, was “not zero”.<\/p>\n
District Judge Shawn Ho, who is the same judge who imposed the jail term instead of a fine called for by both prosecution and defence, granted Chen’s application to travel.<\/p>\n
He is set to travel to China from Mar 17 to Mar 26 for a business trip and again to Japan from Apr 15 to May 3 for a personal trip.<\/p>\n
Judge Ho granted the application with several conditions. First, Chen has to furnish an additional bail sum of S$10,000, on top of the S$15,000 bail currently furnished by an elderly woman with him in court.<\/p>\n
Chen must also provide his complete travel itinerary to the investigating officer before departure, provide full details of his lodging and contact numbers and remain contactable by the investigating officer.<\/p>\n
His bailor must not travel together with Chen, and Chen must update the investigating officer immediately when he returns and surrender his passport.<\/p>\n
Chen’s appeal is pending. He is now represented by Mr Kelvin Ong of Contigo Law.<\/p>\n
For driving without due consideration for other road users, resulting in grievous hurt, an offender can be jailed for up to two years, fined up to S$5,000, or both.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n