SINGAPORE - A sales executive, 27, has been given a jail term and a driving ban for crashing into a parked taxi, which led to its driver's death nearly a year later.
Lim Wei Hong was sentenced on Friday to two months' jail and banned from driving for five years for his part in the death of cabby Mohamed Amin Abdul Manap, 56.
Tired from working long hours and drinking afterwards, Lim had fallen asleep while driving home from a late supper at around 4.35am on May 4, 2013.
He nodded off along Marine Parade Road near the Grand Mercure Roxy Hotel, and his car hit Mr Mohamed's taxi, which was parked in a lot along the road, with the victim sleeping inside.
The force of impact was so great that the taxi surged forward and hit another car two lots over. Mr Mohamed was rushed to Changi General Hospital (CGH), but he had injured his spine in the accident, and became paralysed in his arms and legs.
Eventually, he contracted pneumonia and died on April 18 last year.
Investigations found that Lim had not slept for 20 hours at the time of the accident, and had turned up the radio's volume to try to stay awake.
For rashly causing grievous hurt, Lim could have been jailed for up to four years, fined up to $10,000, or both.
