Singapore — Twenty-six-year-old Itto Wong was found guilty on Wednesday (Sept 15) for causing injuries to a man and his daughter who had been riding a motorcycle that Wong crashed into with his e-scooter.
Wong, a deliveryman, received a jail sentence of one year and 11 weeks’ , a fine of $30,000, and three strokes of the cane, as other offences were also taken into consideration, including offences connected to unlicensed moneylending such as harassing a debtor by pouring coffee over their front door.
Wong pleaded guilty to the following charges: contravening the Moneylenders Act; causing grievous hurt to a motorcyclist through a negligent act, and criminal breach of trust by siphoning the cash from customers while working as a deliveryman.
The accident in which the motorcyclist and his daughter were injured occurred on Nov 29, 2018, at Woodlands Loop.
While on his e-scooter, Wong abruptly switched lanes from the left side of the road to the right, colliding into the motorcycle driven by a 55-year-old man, whose 26-year-old daughter was riding behind him, Deputy Public Prosecutor Benedict Teong told the court.
The man, his daughter, and Wong all fell due to the collision, and all three suffered injuries and were brought to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital.
The motorcyclist sustained fractures to his eye socket, rib, and collarbone. He also suffered from a collapsed lung; and other chest injuries, landing in the hospital for four days, and ended up requiring 34 days of medical leave. His medical bills totalled $2,022.19.
His daughter suffered from wounds to her knee and elbow, and received seven days of medical leave, with her medical bills totalled $262.07.
Wong also sustained some head injuries from the collision and was confined in the hospital for one day.
“The accused was… fully aware that it was unlawful to ride his e-scooter on the road,” said District Judge Marvin Bay.
In separate incidents, Wong also took out loans from illegal moneylenders, resulting in debts that totalled $2,000. In lieu of paying back, it was suggested that he harass other debtors assisting in bank transfers.
Wong himself was also threatened with harassment by a moneylender named Lawrence, who enlisted him in transferring money to different accounts.
“Sometime in March, one of the unlicensed moneylenders known to him as Lawrence then suggested that the accused could pay off the loans by performing banking transfers and harass other borrowers by splashing paint,” according to DPP Teong.
On one occasion, he poured coffee in front of the residence of a debtor who lives in Punggol, which was reported to the police.
The court also heard that in his job as a deliveryman for MC Logistics, he pocketed a total of $1300.93.
On the charge of causing grievous hurt by riding his e-scooter in a negligent manner, Wong could have been made to pay a fine of as much as $5,000 and jailed for as long as two years. /TISG
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