[Stomp] Ex-kitchen helper punched cabby for allegedly
overcharging him
http://thecourtroom.stomp.com.sg/courtroom/cases/case-of-the-day/ex-kitchen-helper-punched-cabby-for-allegedly-overcharging-him
A kitchen helper got angry with a taxi driver for allegedly
overcharging him and ended up punching the driver in the face in an
incident last May.
On Monday morning, the helper,
who stopped working in January this year, was sentenced to six
weeks' jail for the attack. Koh Tong Guan, 48, admitted to punching
Mr Lee Lin, 41, at the carpark of Block 885A Tampines Street 83 on
May 1 last year. The court heard that Koh had been drinking after
finishing work on April 30, reports The Straits Times.
At about 3.15am, he and his
friend flagged down the victim's taxi along Eu Tong Sen Street in
Chinatown. His friend alighted at Serangoon Avenue 2, and along the
way to Tampines, Koh fell asleep.
When they arrived in Tampines,
the cabby asked for the $24.25 fare but Koh gave only $24 and asked
for change as he felt that the victim had taken a longer
route.
As a result of the dispute,
Koh punched Mr Lee on the face in the taxi. Both got out and when
Mr Lee tried to take a video of Koh with his mobile phone, Koh
threw a flurry of punches at the victim. The victim managed to
dodge most of the punches but one landed on his face. Koh also
slapped the victim on the back.
Koh threatened Mr Lee by
saying that his taxi's licence plate was easy to remember and that
he would smash it the next time he saw it on the road.
Mr Lee, who later called the
police, had a sore jaw and scratches on the forearm.
Koh, who was allowed to defer
sentence for a week, could have been jailed for up to two years
and/or fined up to $5,000 for causing hurt.
