Knife-wielding robber gets jail, six strokes of the cane for taking S$10 from taxi driver
SINGAPORE — When a taxi driver turned around to collect his fare, he saw his passenger wielding a knife and pointing it at him.
The passenger, Seow Tze Soon, said “sorry” and then demanded S$20 from the driver, but managed to get only S$10 before alighting and getting rid of the knife in a bin.
The drama unfolded in broad daylight, at about 11.30am on Nov 13 last year, in Geylang. Later the same day, Seow tried to rob two other taxi drivers.
On Tuesday (May 7), Seow was sentenced to two years and one month behind bars, as well as six strokes of the cane, for his actions.
The 38-year-old had pleaded guilty to one count each of robbery and using criminal force on a public servant, after he spat on an Aetos auxiliary police officer while in custody. Another two counts of attempted robbery and one count of being armed with an offensive weapon were taken into consideration for sentencing.
The court heard that Seow boarded Mr Lim Youqiang’s taxi along Sims Avenue. Seow told Mr Lim to take him to Lorong 16 Geylang, but did not specify an exact location.
When they reached the junction of Lorong 16 Geylang and Westerhout Road about three minutes later, Mr Lim told Seow that the fare was S$4.56. Seow said “sorry”.
Puzzled, Mr Lim turned around to face him, and saw him pointing a knife with a 29cm-long blade in his direction.
Seow then asked for S$20. Mr Lim handed over an S$10 note and told him he could only give him that, which Seow accepted. He then alighted and disposed of the knife at the central bin of City Plaza shopping centre.
Mr Lim made a police report at Clementi Neighbourhood Police Centre a few hours later.
Court documents showed that later the same day, Seow tried to rob 69-year-old Ng Kim Leng at about 5.40pm at the car park drop-off point of Block 7 Marine Terrace, before trying again with 59-year-old Lai Keng Weng half an hour later at City Plaza. It was not stated how he did so or how he was eventually caught.
Seow was remanded in the Bedok Division Headquarters lock-up after he was arrested.
On Nov 16 last year, while in custody, he refused to leave his cell to take a shower because he wanted to take his medication first.
When an Aetos auxiliary officer attached to the Bedok Division lock-up facility told him to shower before taking his medication, Seow looked at him and spat at his face.
For robbery, he could have been jailed between two and 10 years and given at least six strokes of the cane. For using criminal force on a public servant in the execution of his duty, Seow could have been jailed up to four years and/or fined.
