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3 weeks' jail for e-bike rider who landed in drain while fleeing from LTA officers

Sheikh Fadhil Belkhir Omar, 27, was jailed three weeks on Tuesday (9 April) after pleading guilty to one count of committing a rash act and one count of using an unregistered PAB. (PHOTO: Getty Images)
Sheikh Fadhil Belkhir Omar, 27, was jailed three weeks on Tuesday (9 April) after pleading guilty to one count of committing a rash act and one count of using an unregistered PAB. (PHOTO: Getty Images)

He tried to flee from Land Transport Authority (LTA) officers on his power-assisted bicycle (PAB) but ended up in a drain when he lost control of the vehicle.

While Sheikh Fadhil Belkhir Omar had wanted to avoid getting in trouble over his unregistered PAB, his reckless riding landed him in hospital. On Tuesday (9 April), the 27-year-old was jailed three weeks after pleading guilty to one count of committing a rash act and one count of using an unregistered PAB.

Ignored LTA officers’ orders

At around 9am on 9 February, Sheikh was riding along the leftmost lane of Upper Jurong Road towards the Pan-Island Expressway (PIE) when he encountered officers from the LTA’s Active Mobility Enforcement Section.

The officers had been patrolling in a van at the time and one of them spotted Sheikh at the junction of Pioneer Road North by Upper Jurong Road.

Having decided to stop Sheikh for a check, the officers’ stopped the van ahead of him and requested that he stop his vehicle as well. Sheikh ignored the instructions and sped up instead.

He swerved his PAB abruptly across three lanes, travelling on the rightmost lane for some 600m before switching back to the leftmost side. Sheikh then lost control of his PAB and hit the kerb. The impact flung him into a drain and he lost consciousness.

The LTA officers caught up to Sheikh and took him to a hospital. He was found to have sustained multiple abrasions on his left thigh and right chin, along with a head injury.

‘Dangerous’ behaviour

Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Suhas Malhotra sought a jail sentence of at least two weeks, noting that Sheik had other similar road traffic offences, including driving without a license.

Sheikh – who is currently serving a rehabilitation term for drug offences – had been riding dangerously and it was “fortuitous” that no one was hurt, said Suhas. The DPP added that it was “aggravating that Sheikh knew he had an obligation to stop … but drove with a mind to escape”.

Unrepresented in court, Sheikh apologised and promised not to reoffend. He added that he had lost two persons he loved while incarcerated for drug offences, including a son who died on 9 April last year 20 hours after being born, and a grandmother who died in 2017.

“My mother is over 60 years old and all alone. I plead to be sentenced leniently so that I can return to her,” Sheikh said through an interpreter.

District Judge Marvin Bay noted that Sheikh had led officers on a “high-speed chase” riding in a manner that was “demonstrably dangerous”.

“The court must take a serious view of your reckless actions, especially the fact that your PAB is a powered vehicle which would cause injuries when misused or carelessly ridden,” said Bay.

For committing a rash act endangering the life of others, Sheik could have been jailed up to six months, fined up to $2,500, or both.

As of 1 February last year, PAB users who ride on public roads or paths are required to have their vehicles registered with the LTA. Those caught riding or keeping an unregistered PAB may be fined up to $2,000 or jailed up to three months on a first offence.

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