SINGAPORE - A platoon commander who was in a Bionix Infantry Fighting Vehicle that reversed and mounted a Land Rover, killing the driver, told a district court on Friday (March 19) that he did not expect any other vehicles on the same road during the military exercise on Nov 3, 2018.

Mr Nathaniel Ho, who was serving his national service at the time, also testified that before the Bionix reversed, there was no communication between him and the vehicle commander of the Land Rover, Ong Lin Jie.

Ong, now 30, had ordered the driver of the Land Rover, another full-time national serviceman, Corporal First Class (CFC) Liu Kai, 22, to overtake the Bionix shortly before the tragedy occurred. CFC Liu was pronounced dead at the scene at 10.35am that day.

Taking the stand on the second day of Ong's trial, Mr Ho told the court that the communication equipment was working properly that day and he had checked it the night before.

Ong is accused of acting rashly by failing to keep a safe distance of 30m between the Land Rover and the Bionix, ordering CFC Liu to overtake it though it was unsafe to do so, and without first establishing communication with the other vehicle.

He has since been suspended from service.

At the time of the incident, Ong, who held the rank of Captain, was a platoon trainer with the Armour Unit Training Centre of the Armour Training Institute.

He was responsible for the safety of CFC Liu, the only other person in the Land Rover that day.

The tragedy occurred during a company exercise by the 42nd Battalion Singapore Armoured Regiment on Nov 3, 2018.

Shortly before 10am, Ong and CFC Liu stopped about 30m behind the Bionix at a junction. Ong then ordered CFC Liu to overtake it on its left.

CFC Liu heard rounds being fired and stopped 16m to 18m behind the Bionix, which reversed and mounted the driver's side of the Land Rover, pinning him in his seat. He died of traumatic asphyxia.

On Friday, Mr Ho testified that he was in the Bionix with three soldiers when he spotted other similar armoured vehicles from the opposing side in the exercise.

He then conducted an "extrication drill" to get his Bionix out of the "enemy's line of sight". Mr Ho said he told one of his men to fire and gave a command to reverse the Bionix.

He later heard one of his men "repeatedly" and "frantically" shouting "stop".

Mr Ho said he "instinctively" shouted for the Bionix to stop but felt it tilting forward seconds later before it came to a halt.

He told the court that he got out of a hatch and saw that it had mounted a Land Rover.

The trial continues.

If convicted of committing the rash act, Ong can be jailed for up to five years and fined.