SINGAPORE - Desperate for money, three people in their 20s hatched a plan to rob an old taxi driver last May. The trio flagged down a taxi in Tampines one midnight and directed it to go to the Chinese Cemetery in Lim Chu Kang.
After the taxi reached the cemetery, two acted as lookouts while one started slashing the taxi driver with the chopper, but the sight of blood scared him so much that he fled.
On Tuesday (Jan 26), unemployed single mother Eng Wan Fong, 22, who acted as a lookout, was sentenced to 12 months' jail.
Together with Tan Jing Zi, 23, Eng had acted as a lookout for her boyfriend Goh Tong Chien, 22, as the latter hurt Mr Sazali Abdullah by slashing him on his right index finger, left lower lip and forehead with the knife near Chinese Cemetery Path 11 in Lim Chu Kang at about 1am on May 14 last year.
Eng also admitted to stealing $120 worth of items from Challenger at Tampines on May 6 the same year.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Tan Wee Hao, who sought 12 to 15 months' jail for Eng, said the insights provided in a probation report were rather "damning". The report says she committed the offences "out of complete disregard for the law and the lack of consideration for a fellow human being". She is also assessed to have a high risk of offending.
DPP Tan said Eng played a critical role in the offence as she had brought along the chopper with Goh, and targeted a vulnerable public transport worker.
Eng, a mother of one, could have been jailed for up to seven years and fined for causing hurt with a dangerous weapon. Goh was given 20 months and three strokes of the cane for slashing the 58-year-old taxi driver. Tan's case has been adjourned to Feb 26.
The court heard that the trio met at a block in Tampines Street 41 on the night of May 13 last year. Goh and Eng brought along a chopper, which was wrapped in newspaper and placed inside a green bag.
Eng and Tan agreed to Goh's suggestion to find and rob an old taxi driver as they were facing financial and family problems.
They flagged down Mr Sazali's Trans-Cab taxi along Tampines Avenue 9 at around midnight and directed the driver to go to the Chinese cemetery at Choa Chu Kang Road.
When the taxi reached the junction of Old Choa Chu Kang Road, Eng told Mr Sazali to drive till Lim Chu Kang Chinese Cemetery Path 11.
When Mr Sazali got there, both Eng and Tan dashed out of the vehicle. Goh took out the chopper and started slashing the driver from behind. Mr Sazali used his right hand to fend off the attacks. When Goh saw so much blood being splattered all over, he got scared and fled. He threw away the chopper.
The victim then drove out of the cemetery to the main road before calling the police. He was given 17 days of medical leave.
