A FORMER financial controller was cleared on Wednesday of causing the death of a cabby by pushing him and causing him to fall.

District Judge F.G. Remedios acquitted Mr Arun Rajan, 29, without calling for his defence, as he found that there was no evidence that Mr Rajan, now unemployed, had committed a negligent act at an Esso petrol station along Tampines Avenue 9 on Sept 27 last year.

The agreed statement of facts showed that relief cabby Chew Peng Choon was extremely unhappy with Mr Rajan for not paying him the amount that he wanted as compensation for having to clean up the mess that the passenger had caused in the vehicle.

His unhappiness led to an attack on Mr Rajan, who did not retaliate other than pushed him away.

While it was not disputed that the 62-year-old cabby was holding the screwdriver, Mr Rajan did not see the weapon but had merely grabbed his fist and pushed him. Mr Chew died two days later of a severe head injury.

Mr Rajan's lawyer, Mr P.E. Ashokan, who had earlier submitted no case to answer, told reporters that the facts of the case showed very clearly that the cabby was the aggressor.