Man jailed, caned for robbing taxi driver of $10 and trying to rob two others
SINGAPORE — When asked to pay a taxi fare of $4.56, Seow Tze Boon instead apologised and wielded a knife at the taxi driver to rob him of $10.
And after he robbed 35-year-old Lim Youqiang, Seow attempted to rob another two taxi drivers.
Seow, a 38-year-old Singaporean, was jailed two years and one month, as well as given six strokes of the cane on Tuesday (7 May), on one count of robbery and one count of using criminal force on a public servant.
Two other counts of attempted robbery and one count of being unlawfully armed with a penknife were considered for his sentencing.
On 13th November 2018, Lim picked up Seow at a bus stop along Sims Avenue at about 11.26am. Seow, who sat at the back seat of the taxi, instructed Lim to send him to Lorong 16 Geylang.
Three minutes later, the taxi arrived at the destination, and Lim told Seow that the fare for the ride was $4.56. However, the latter did not pay the fare, and instead apologised to Lim. Feeling puzzled, Lim turned around and was confronted by Seow, who wielded a 29cm-long knife.
Seow demanded $20 from Lim, who handed over a $10 note and told Seow that he could only give him that amount. Seow took the money and fled.
He attempted to rob another cabby, at the carpark drop-off point of Marine Terrace at around 5.40pm the same day. Half an hour later, he tried his luck on another cabby at City Plaza Shopping Centre He threw away his knife at a bin in the shopping centre later on.
Lim lodged a police report and Seow was later arrested.
While at a lockup remand cell three days later, Seow spat at an auxiliary officer who was trying to bring him to shower. Seow had insisted on eating his medication before showering, while the officer had told him to shower before taking his medication.
For his robbery offence, Seow could have been jailed between two and 10 years years and caned at least six strokes.
Other Singapore stories
