A 69-year-old man was arrested on 9 October 2022 for voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant from discharge of his duty.
On 9 October 2022 at about 5.15pm, a Traffic Police (TP) officer was patrolling in the vicinity of Holland Road when he spotted a taxi driver who was purportedly using his mobile phone while driving and signalled for the driver to stop. However, the driver ignored the officer and continued driving. The TP officer followed him and eventually managed to stop the taxi driver along Farrer Road. During the engagement with the 69-year-old driver, the driver was uncooperative and refused to provide his particulars. Sensing that the taxi driver might drive off again, the TP officer reached his hand out to turn off the ignition button of the vehicle. However, the driver allegedly wound up his window and drove off before the officer could remove his arm. As a result, the officer was dragged along the road for a few metres before the driver stopped and wound down the window.
The taxi driver was subsequently arrested for voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant from discharge of his duty. The 34-year-old officer was conveyed conscious to the hospital and received outpatient treatment. Police investigations are ongoing.
The offence of voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant from discharge of his duty, under Section 332 of the Penal Code 1871, carries an imprisonment term of up to seven years, and a fine or caning. Under Section 65B of the Road Traffic Act 1961, any driver who holds in his or her hand a mobile communication device and operates any of its communicative or other functions while the vehicle is in motion on a road or in a public place, is guilty of an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $1,000, an imprisonment term not exceeding six months, or both.
All motorists are urged to drive safely and to abide with traffic rules and regulations. The Police have zero tolerance towards such brazen acts of violence towards Police officers or public servants carrying out their duties. The Police will not hesitate to take firm action against those who endanger the safety of our officers or other road users.
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
12 October 2022 @ 10:10 AM