Jail for cyclist who caused a woman’s death

SINGAPORE: A part-time food delivery worker was riding his bicycle along a shared path in Tampines when he lifted both hands off the handlebar to reply to an Instagram message on his mobile phone.

After replying, Temasek Polytechnic student Muhammad Adli Adi placed only his left hand on the handlebar and did not notice Poh Cho Hui, 60, walking in front of him.

His bicycle struck her before he could stop it and she fell to the ground.

The accident took place around 8pm on June 3 last year. The mother of three was taken to Changi General Hospital (CGH) but she died of a head injury six days later.

Adli, 19 was sentenced on Friday to two weeks’ jail after pleading guilty to causing Poh’s death by performing a negligent act.

Before the accident took place, he had been delivering food for the company and was riding along the Tampines Park Connector at a speed of around 23 kph.

The court heard that the speed limit along the shared path was 25 kph and the bicycle was not fitted with a front headlight.

After the collision, Madam oh was seen lying face-up on the ground and was bleeding from the back of her head.

The police were alerted and an ambulance took her CGH where she was found to have suffered a traumatic brain injury.

On Friday, Deputy Public Prosecutor Sanjiv Vaswani told District Judge Eddy Tham that Adli had been riding a fixed gear bicycle which did not have a manual braking system.

Instead, it was fitted with a pedal brake mechanism which was operated by turning the pedals backwards.

Urging the judge to sentence the student to three weeks’ jail, the DPP added that such bicycles were “more difficult to control”.

“It is submitted that the accused’s use of such a bicycle at high speed, coupled with his failure to hold onto both the handlebars of his bicycle, further affects the extent to which the accused ought to be found negligent.”

Defence lawyer Michael Han asked the judge to call for a report to assess his client’s suitability for probation, stressing that Adli was a youthful offender.

Before handing down the sentence, Tham noted that probation is a relevant sentencing option for young offenders. But he added that in cases where a death is caused, rehabilitation “takes a back seat”.

The judge said that a message must be sent to deter others from committing a similar offence.

Poh’s family members were in court on Friday.

After Adli’s sentencing, her son, Shawn Toh, 31 told reporters outside the courtroom: “Our hearts are at ease. He has received his deserved punishment. What’s done is done. We have to move on with our lives.”

For causing Poh’s death by performing a negligent act, Adli could have been jailed for up to two years and fined.