Rui En charged with careless driving for knocking down parked motorcycle, expected to plead guilty

Rui En (centre) who was charged in court on June 22. ST PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOW
Mr Bahrom, 52, said that he was walking to the carpark when he saw Rui En's black BMW knocking over his bike. PHOTO: LIANHE WANBAO

SINGAPORE - Television actress Rui En was charged with careless driving on Wednesday (June 22).

The 35-year-old actress, who is not represented by a lawyer, told the court she intends to plead guilty.

The case has been adjourned to July 1.

She is accused of failing to have a proper control of her car when driving into a carpark near Block 331 Clementi Avenue 2 at about 4.15pm on April 12. She thus caused the vehicle to mount a kerb and crashed it into a parked motorcycle.

Rui En, who was accompanied to court by two women, appeared calm when her charge was read to her. She was dressed in a white top with a white jacket and wore a Hermes H belt, black trousers and Valentino shoes. She carried a Hermes Lindy bag.

Outside court, the Hype Records artiste told reporters she does not intend to engage a lawyer. In response to questions posed, she would only say in Mandarin: "Thank you everyone for your concern."

If convicted, she faces a fine of up to $1,000, jail of up to six months or both.

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The penalty for driving without due care and attention, or without reasonable consideration for other persons using the road, on a second subsequent conviction, is a fine of up to $2,000, jail of up to one year, or both.

It was reported earlier that the actress was assisting in the investigation of an incident on April 12 in which she knocked over a parked motorcycle at a carpark in front of Block 332 in Clementi Avenue 2.

Rui En had said she "misjudged a turn" and knocked over the motorcycle when she was on the way home at about 4pm.

Apologising for the incident at the Star Awards in April, she told the audience: "Regarding the recent incident - it's still under investigation, so before the full report is out, I hope you can all forgive me.

"I'm unable to answer the media at this point, but I hope to apologise for whatever inconveniences this has caused... I am very sorry."

She has also apologised for the controversy over her remarks to the owner of the motorcycle, Mr Bahrom Sarmiten.

Mr Bahrom, 52, told the media earlier that he was walking to the carpark when he saw Rui En's black BMW knocking over his bike.

He said the actress asked "Do you know who I am?" when he approached her.

Explaining her remarks later, Rui En told the media that Mr Bahrom kept knocking on the window of her car as if she might "run away from the scene".

She added: "In my state of anxiety, I told him, 'Do you know who I am? I live upstairs and won't run'."

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