Quoted from Shin Min Daily, 17 Apr 2009
Female editor who beat the red light, who was sentenced to 18 months jailed for causing 1 death and 1 injured, won the appeal this morning and her sentence was commuted to 1 day jail and fine of $12,000.
Lim Hong Eng, 56, is the executive editor of Shin Min Daily. On Christmas Eve 2006, at about 3pm, while driving along the junction of Whitley Rd and Dunearn Rd, she beat the red light, and slammed into a motorbike and caused 1 death and 1 injured.
She faced 2 account of charges. The first was dangerous driving, causing the death of 18 year old Indonesian maid, Melania. She was found guilty and was sentenced to 18 months jail and had her driving license revoked for 10 years. Her second charge was for callous behaviour, causing serious injury to 70 year old David Jemaiah. She was sentenced to 6 months jailed. The sentences will be conducted concurently, with her facing a jail term of 18 months.
The Defence Counsel, S Subha argued that Lim did not purposely beat the red lights, but "she saw the wrong traffic light" (this is technical, i dare not translate this directly.), so she is not driving dangerously.
High Court Judge, Zhu Hande said that in the Session Court, the prosecution and the judge concurred that Lim did not purposely beat the red light. A witness testified that Lim was driving at constant speed when she was beating the red lights.
Therefore, Judge Zhu decided that Lim was careless and not reckless, therefore not suitable for long term jail. He thus changed the first charge from 18 month jail to 1 day, fine of $10,000 and revoke license for 10 years. For the second charge, the charges was changed to Dangerous Driving, fine of $2000.
Lim was very nervous during the judgement being passed and heave a big sigh of relief hearing the judgement. She inform her lawyer that she can pay off the fine today.
However, in the afternoon, Judge Zhu discovered that for the first account of charge, it cannot be fined. He will pass the judgement later.
Female editor who beat the red light, who was sentenced to 18 months jailed for causing 1 death and 1 injured, won the appeal this morning and her sentence was commuted to 1 day jail and fine of $12,000.
Lim Hong Eng, 56, is the executive editor of Shin Min Daily. On Christmas Eve 2006, at about 3pm, while driving along the junction of Whitley Rd and Dunearn Rd, she beat the red light, and slammed into a motorbike and caused 1 death and 1 injured.
She faced 2 account of charges. The first was dangerous driving, causing the death of 18 year old Indonesian maid, Melania. She was found guilty and was sentenced to 18 months jail and had her driving license revoked for 10 years. Her second charge was for callous behaviour, causing serious injury to 70 year old David Jemaiah. She was sentenced to 6 months jailed. The sentences will be conducted concurently, with her facing a jail term of 18 months.
The Defence Counsel, S Subha argued that Lim did not purposely beat the red lights, but "she saw the wrong traffic light" (this is technical, i dare not translate this directly.), so she is not driving dangerously.
High Court Judge, Zhu Hande said that in the Session Court, the prosecution and the judge concurred that Lim did not purposely beat the red light. A witness testified that Lim was driving at constant speed when she was beating the red lights.
Therefore, Judge Zhu decided that Lim was careless and not reckless, therefore not suitable for long term jail. He thus changed the first charge from 18 month jail to 1 day, fine of $10,000 and revoke license for 10 years. For the second charge, the charges was changed to Dangerous Driving, fine of $2000.
Lim was very nervous during the judgement being passed and heave a big sigh of relief hearing the judgement. She inform her lawyer that she can pay off the fine today.
However, in the afternoon, Judge Zhu discovered that for the first account of charge, it cannot be fined. He will pass the judgement later.
