SINGAPORE: A SilkAir pilot was fined
S$1,000 on Monday for punching a taxi driver at a condominium
coffee shop.
After a seven-day trial, 46-year-old Ajmer Singh Ajit Singh, was
found guilty with one charge of voluntarily causing hurt to
57-year-old cabbie Chua Hock Kwee.
Ajmer Singh, who is also the chairman of the SilkAir branch of
the Airline Pilots Association Singapore, is appealing against his
conviction.
The court heard that there was a history of bad blood between
the two men, who are also neighbours. It began when Chua used to
burn joss sticks outside his door, and when Ajmer Singh spotted
many visitors at Chua’s home at odd hours.
On May 8, 2010, Ajmer Singh received a call from a security
guard, Ranjit Singh, to go to the coffee shop at Changi Gardens
Condominium. Ajmer Singh was told that a resident, Yong Fah Nam,
wanted to speak with him.
Shortly after, he went down and spotted Yong and Chua drinking
beer.
Chua testified that Ajmer Singh was “walking towards their table
aggressively” and also accused Chua of being a gangster. Chua then
claimed that Ajmer punched him, causing his dentures to fall out of
his mouth.
During the trial, Ajmer Singh’s lawyer, Mr Ranjit Singh, gave a
different take. The court heard that Chua “lunged” at Ajmer Singh
instead, and Chua fell and hurt himself in the process.
Chua was taken to hospital where he was given three days of
medical leave for pain in his left cheek. Chua said that he
incurred nearly S$3,000 in medical costs.
District Judge Roy Neighbour, in his sentencing, turned down the
prosecution’s call for compensation as Chua suffered a “slight
injury”.
Chua, later told the media that he was dissatisfied with the
outcome and may be pursuing the matter by filing a civil claim.
For voluntarily causing hurt, Ajmer Singh could have been jailed
up to two years and fined S$5,000.
-CNA/ac
