Singaporean lawyer sent to 2 weeks in jail for causing motorcyclist’s death, netizens protested

Last Friday (29 April), a Singaporean lawyer was sentenced to 2 weeks in jail for causing the death of a motorcyclist in an accident on Singapore’s Ayer Rajah Expressway (AYE) in 2018.

According to CNA, Laurance Goh Eng Yau’s car skidded off the side of the victim’s motorcycle as he turn to avoid the oncoming lorry in the next lane. The collision caused the victim’s motorcycle to slide into the lorry’s lane, thus being run over by the lorry.

The victim was pronounced dead at the scene.

Goh pleaded guilty to one count of reckless driving and admitted that he failed to keep a proper lookout for traffic conditions ahead of him and keep a safe distance from the car in front of him.

Despite stepping on his brakes, his car was too near to the back of the front car and he abruptly swerved his car out to the left to avoid a collision.

Goh’s car then swerved, hitting the victim’s motorcycle, and pushing him into the lorry’s lane.

The accident happened near exit 7A at AYE at around 5.20 pm, 12 September 2018.

On Friday, Deputy Chief Justice S Jennifer Marie also handed down a sentence banning Goh from driving for five years.

Those convicted of causing death as a result of negligent acts, without intent to cause death, can be imprisoned for up to two years, fined or both.

Meanwhile, netizens are not going with the judge’s decision as they express that this is a major miscarriage of justice.

Some said that Goh is basically getting away with murder.

Many also related this to Sam Ke Ting’s case, where she drove into a group of teenagers riding on ‘basikal lajak’ at 3 am, killing 8 of them. However, she was sentenced to 6 years in jail and an RM6,000 fine for reckless driving.

The incident has since sparked much discussion about what makes up reckless driving and who is at fault.

What do you think about this? Share your thoughts!