Taxi driver who molested 13-year-old boy gets 14 months’ jail
A taxi driver who molested a 13-year-old boy has been jailed for 14 months and three weeks.
Chew Lye Beng, 58, who was a part-time cabby with ComfortDelGro, was convicted last month of one charge of molesting a minor.
On July 21, 2017, the Secondary 1 student wanted to go home after class to change before returning to school for co-curricular activities.
He asked his friend to accompany him and they flagged down Chew's taxi at 1.12 pm.
Chew told the boy to sit in the front passenger seat, while his friend sat at the back.
The accused chatted with the boy throughout the 10-minute journey to his condominium.
After paying Chew in cash, the boy held the change in one hand and his wallet in the other.
Chew reached over and purportedly helped him to unbuckle his seat belt, despite the boy not having asked him to do so. It was then that Chew molested the boy twice.
All three of them got out of the taxi and Chew asked the victim for directions to the toilet. After Chew walked away, the boy told his friend he had been molested.
After changing at home, they left but became worried that Chew would still be around.
They returned to the apartment, where the victim took a penknife for self-defence.
POLICE REPORT
His mother saw him holding the penknife and questioned him. He told her what had happened and a police report was made that evening.
During the trial, Chew had to be repeatedly told to answer questions, even by his defence lawyer. He also claimed to have shown the victim "fatherly" concern.
In addition, he made an issue of Deputy Public Prosecutor Mansoor Amir's accent, claiming that he could not understand the latter, who is Indian.
The prosecution rebutted this, saying these allegations were baseless as the Notes of Evidence showed he could clearly understand and answer the DPP's questions.
DPP Mansoor and DPP Chong Kee En had urged the court to jail Chew for at least 14 months, noting it was an aggravating factor that the accused was a public transport worker.
Ms Tammy Tan, group chief branding and communications officer for ComfortDelGro, said: "The conduct of Chew Lye Beng is despicable, to say the least. We are thankful he has been caught and will be serving time in jail for his depravity."
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