Ex-bus captain who drank vodka while driving jailed 15 months and fined $1,000

An intoxicated SBS bus captain who continued to drink alcohol while on duty has been sentenced to 15 months’ jail and fined $1,000 on Thursday (20 July).

Nagibullah Raja Saleem was convicted on one count of driving in a rash manner, one count of drink driving, and one count of using a mobile communication device while the bus was in motion earlier this month. The 27-year-old Singaporean was also disqualified from driving for 10 years. His sentences were in line with what the prosecution had requested from the court.

While in a drunken stupor, Nagibullah nodded off several times at the wheel, veered into other lanes, nearly collided with other vehicles, and beat the red light six times, causing alarm to passengers who were on board.

Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Parvathi Menon said that Nagibullah had endangered the lives of passengers and other road users. Said the DPP, “He didn’t just drink and drive, he drank while driving.”

Calling the case “unprecedented”, the DPP added that he placed all who came into his path in danger.

“The fact that no accidents occurred should not be considered a mitigating factor… It was nothing short of miraculous that no accidents arose,” said DPP Menon.

Nagibullah’s lawyer Richard Siaw said that his client was normally an exemplary employee and was suffering from mental and emotional distress on the day of the incident, which he described as “isolated”.

The defence asked for a sentence of between of 12 and 14 months’ jail, a disqualification period of five years and “a light fine”.

Siaw said that Nagibullah, who is married, had been facing pressure from a former girlfriend who “continues to stalk him” and send photos of herself slitting her wrist.

On the day of the incident, the ex-girlfriend had asked to meet Nagibullah for lunch and pressured him.

“That was when my client snapped and became distressed… He could have suffered a temporary lapse of judgement,” said Siaw.

Before the incident, Nagibullah was a “poster boy” who was featured in many SBSTransit buses, according to Siaw. Even though Nagibullah had less than a year of service, he was already considered an exemplary worker who was featured in a publicity video featuring bus captains, Siaw said.

District Judge (DJ) Kenneth Yap pointed out that Nagibullah’s failure to excuse himself from work was “a colossal error of judgement” and that his conduct was “highly irresponsible and reckless”.

“A message must be sent out to…bus drivers that when they face personal circumstances…they must step out of the bus,” said DJ Yap.

Investigations showed that before beginning his shift driving bus 162 at 3.30pm on 29 June last year, Nagibullah had been consuming alcohol for five hours.

Even while driving, Nagibullah took swigs from a 330ml bottle of blackcurrant vodka – with an alcohol content of 8.4 per cent – which he had placed on the left side of the driver’s seat.

His acts were caught by a CCTV camera, which showed him drinking from the bottle six times and driving recklessly between 4.15pm and 6.15pm.

While he drove from Shenton Way bus terminal to Yio Chu Kang bus terminal, he dozed off at the wheel, missed several bus stops and even stopped the bus while on the expressway.

His reckless behavior drew the attention of several passengers who asked if he was in a condition to drive. A female passenger threatened to report him if he didn’t drive carefully.

As Nagibullah reached the bus terminal, he failed to park the bus properly and went against the bus depot’s flow of traffic. A timekeeping duty officer went to check on Nagibullah and found the bus driver at the driver’s seat with the engine still running.

The officer asked Nagibullah to move to the passenger seat while he took over the parking. He also saw an empty vodka bottle in a plastic bag at the left side of the driver’s seat.

Police were informed of the incident and arrived at the bus terminal at around 9.19pm. An officer interviewed Nagibullah and found that his face was flushed with bloodshot eyes, and he was slurring.

Nagibullah was later arrested and brought to the Traffic Police Headquarters, where he took and failed a breathalyzer test.

His alcohol level was assessed to be 2.4 times the legal limit even more than four hours after his shift.

For rash driving, Nagibullah can be jailed up to six months and/or fined up to $1,000. On a first conviction for drink driving, he can be jailed up to six months or fined between $1,000 and $5,000. For using a mobile communication device while the bus was in motion, he can be jailed up to six months and/or fined up to $1,000.