May 19, 2010
Cook jailed for robbing cabbies
<!-- by line --> By Elena Chong, Court Correspondent
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<!-- end left side bar --> <!-- story content : start --> A COOK who robbed two elderly taxi drivers in Tampines last year was jailed a total of seven years by a district court on Wednesday. Lew Seng Hock, 51, pleaded guilty to two robbery charges which took place along Tampines Street 81 on Aug 7 and Sept 3 and for taking morphine in March this year. A district court heard that he hailed the cab of Mr Chew Kia Ban, 70, along Chai Chee Road at about 5.40am on Aug 7, and directed the driver to proceed to Tampines Street 81. When the taxi reached the place, Lew asked him to go to to Block 820 instead.
On arrival there, he again re-directed the driver to go to Tampines Avenue 3. Along the way, he suddenly whipped up a knife with a 25cm-blade and pointed it at the victim's neck. Out of fear, the victim handed over $80 to Lew, who fled. Less than a month later, he similarly held up Mr Lee Tock Hing, 65, in his CityCab and relieved him of $80, a mobile phone with a SIM card valued at about $50 and a bank ATM card, at Tampines Street 81.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Ng Yiwen asked for a stiff sentence, citing among other factors that Lew targeted taxi drivers who were defenceless and vulnerable. He said the use of the knife to threaten the victim was a circumstance of aggravation. It showed total disregard for the safety of the taxi driver and warranted a harsher sentence. Lew could have been jailed for up to 14 years on each charge of robbery. He escaped the mandatory 12 strokes because of his age.
