Taxi driver who punched commuter at taxi stand sentenced to 1 week in jail

A taxi driver who punched a manager in the face was sentenced to one week’s jail on Friday (Oct 6).

A 42-year-old taxi driver, Willie Lim Ghim Lee was sentenced to one week in jail today after he was convicted of causing hurt to Basu Shantanu at the taxi stand at Resorts World Sentosa around 5.40pm on 28 June last year.

The 37-year-old victim who works as a manager was queueing for a cab at the taxi stand after having dinner, along with his family who were visiting him and his wife in Singapore from India.

At the taxi stand, Lim parked his Chrysler Taxi Cab near the exit of the line, waiting for a customer. Customers who did not want to pay a higher rate for the premium limousine taxi had to move past Lim’s vehicle to board taxi’s behind his cab.

Shantanu was one such customer who did not want to pay the higher rate. However, instead of moving behind Lim’s cab to board another taxi, Shantanu tapped on the Chrysler to signal to Lim to move forward and out of the way – he reportedly did this because his 59-year-old mother had difficulty walking and needed more room to board their regular cab.

This was when Lim alighted his cab and punched Shantanu in the face without warning, in front of his family and other members of the public. The punch did not only cause Shantanu to fall, his mother also fell since she was standing close to him.

Shantanu suffered a 3cm bruise on his forehead and an abrasion on his right forearm while his mother was hurt, as well.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Dora Tay argued that Lim had completely overreacted over a trivial matter and that his act of aggression towards the victim was totally unwarranted:

“The accused’s behaviour was brazen and demonstrated his blatant disregard for law and order.”

According to the DPP, Lim also showed a lack of remorse in court, since he made baseless allegations against the victim, insulted him during trial, and behaved in a belligerent manner while an independent witness was testifying.

District Judge Kessler Soh accepted the DPP’s proposal that Lim be sentenced to one week’s jail, advising the unrepresented Lim to never to get involved in violence, no matter the irritation.

Lim could have been sentenced to a maximum of two years in jail and/or fined up to $5000 for his offence.