A 39-year-old man in Singapore was sentenced to six weeks in jail and fined S$1,300 after attempting to fraudulently obtain a driving licence by using his dead brother’s damaged licence as his own.
According to Shin Min Daily News, the defendant visited the Traffic Police Headquarters on 14 July 2023 at 10am with a severely damaged driving licence.
Source: Google Maps
The damage rendered both the photo and personal information illegible.
He claimed the licence belonged to him and submitted a request for a replacement.
The traffic police conducted a search using the man’s NRIC and discovered that he did not hold a valid driving licence.
Source: Singapore Safety Driving Centre on Facebook, for illustration purposes only
When informed, he falsely insisted that he possessed Class 2, 2A, 2B, and 3 licences.
He even filled out an appeal form requesting a review of the supposed validity of his licence.
In response, the traffic police carried out further checks within their computer system, licensing providers, and local driving centres but found no records supporting his claims.
To support his fabricated story, the defendant submitted contact details of a private driving instructor he claimed could verify his licence.
However, it was later revealed that this individual had also passed away.
Eventually, the traffic police reported the matter to the police.
During the subsequent investigation, the man continued to lie about the situation.
On Monday (2 Dec), the man pleaded guilty to four charges in court, including two violations of the Road Traffic Act and one count of attempted deception.
The prosecution argued that his persistent lies wasted significant resources as the traffic police had to verify his false claims and ensure the accuracy of their records.
They emphasised the need for a deterrent sentence, citing the seriousness of his deliberate attempts to deceive the authorities, which began with using his deceased brother’s licence.
The defence, in mitigation, pleaded for leniency, highlighting that this was his first criminal offence.
The investigation also uncovered an additional offence: on 15 June 2023, the defendant was caught speeding in Yishun.
He rode a motorcycle at 74 km/h on a road with a speed limit of 60 km/h despite not holding a valid driving licence at the time.
Ultimately, the judge sentenced him to six weeks’ jail, a S$1,300 fine, and banned him from obtaining a driving licence for two years.
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Featured image by MS News, for illustration purposes only.
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