What would you do if you were caught breaking the law?
Most of us would simply accept the punishment, for fear of digging an even deeper hole that we’ll never get out of.
One 58-year-old man did exactly that, however, by offering a rather unique bribe.
Electrician Tried to Bribe Police Officer With ‘Discount’ on His Service
On 8 Feb this year, Leow Khoon Chye was driving along Ang Mo Kio Avenue 5 when an officer passing by noticed he wasn’t wearing a seatbelt.
Leow quickly put it on when he spotted the officer, but it was too late.
The officer followed Leow to Ang Mo Kio Industrial Park 2, where the two stopped their vehicles and began conversing.
When asked why he was stopped, the officer explained that he wasn’t wearing his seatbelt.
He asked Leow for his driver’s licence, but discovered that Leow had his licence suspended.
See, in 2018, Leow was jailed and banned from driving until March 2022 after being convicted of driving while under disqualification.
Just two years later, Leow was caught doing the same thing, and without a seatbelt.
So, with no licence to hand over, the office asked Leow for his NRIC, which he gave reluctantly.
Leow started pleading with the officer to forget his offences, saying he needs to make a living and that he was going to take a practical driving test in a few months.
He then did something that one should never do in Singapore: offer a bribe to a public servant.
Leow said he worked as an electrician and offered his services at a discount, or at a “good price”, as he put it.
He repeated this offer three times, and was eventually arrested for it.
Jailed 14 Weeks, Disqualified From Driving for 8 Years
Yesterday (26 July), the 58-year-old was sentenced to 14 weeks’ imprisonment, and disqualified from holding all classes of licences for another eight years after he is released.
He pleaded guilty to three charges, namely:
- Driving while banned
- Driving without insurance
- Offering a bribe
Another charge of failing to wear a seatbelt was also taken into consideration for sentencing.
It turns out that Leow is the sole proprietor of Proficient Electrical Engineering & Plumbing, which offers electrical, construction, and upgrading services.
Despite being convicted for the third time of the same driving offence, Leow said he was “remorseful”.
“…but I need to earn a living to survive”, he added. “Without a vehicle, I cannot do installations.”
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Featured Image: karanik yimpat / Shutterstock.com
