A 70-year-old Singaporean minibus driver who fell asleep while driving and hit an elderly pedestrian at a zebra crossing has been sentenced to nine months and two weeks in jail. He was also banned from driving for eight years.
Samsudin Babjee Sahib pleaded guilty to one charge of driving without due care and attention, resulting in the death of a 68-year-old woman.
The incident took place on May 9, 2023, at around 12.30 pm when Samsudin was driving along Chai Chee Avenue and was entering a car park near Block 36 when he briefly fell asleep due to lack of rest. As a result, he failed to notice the victim, who was midway across a zebra crossing.
The woman was knocked down, and the driver reportedly awoke only after the impact. The minibus continued forward, mounting the kerb and crashing into a gantry, causing significant damage. The victim was taken to hospital but succumbed to her injuries six days later.
In court, Deputy Public Prosecutor Jordy Kay sought a jail term of between eight-and-a-half and 11-and-a-half months, along with eight years' disqualification from driving.
The prosecutor also noted an email from the victim's family requesting leniency but stressed that it did not lessen the severity of the offence.
Samsudin appeared in court with his family. His lawyer, Ramesh Tiwary, said that the driver had been moving slowly and within his lane at the time of the accident. He conveyed his client's deep remorse and public apology to the victim's loved ones, adding that the tragedy would weigh on him for the rest of his life.
District Judge Salina Ishak highlighted several aggravating factors, including the driver's fatigue and the risk posed to others, noting that another pedestrian had also been crossing from the opposite direction.
She acknowledged Samsudin's regret but ruled that the family's forgiveness could not be considered a mitigating factor.
She ordered that Samsudin begin serving his sentence next week.
The offence of causing death by driving without due care and attention carries a maximum penalty of three years' jail, a fine of up to S$10,000, or both, in addition to a mandatory driving ban of up to eight years.
