Van driver who ran over cyclist in fatal case convicted of downgraded charge

SINGAPORE: A van driver on trial for attempted murder – after running over a fellow contraband cigarette dealer – was convicted on Monday (Jun 29) of a lower charge.

Toh Sze Ee, a 51-year-old Singaporean, was found guilty of voluntarily causing grievous hurt by a dangerous weapon in the form of the van.

The judge rejected his claim that he had fallen asleep briefly at the wheel shortly before the collision and that he had not intended to run over the victim, 32-year-old Hossen Selim, a Bangladeshi.

The judge also found that Toh had motive for wanting to cause grievous hurt to the victim, since Mr Hossen had been arrested by Singapore Customs and Toh feared being implicated.

THE CASE

Toh had originally claimed trial to a charge of attempted murder after running over the victim with a van on Mar 16, 2023 along Kaki Bukit Avenue 5.

Mr Hossen suffered serious injuries that rendered him comatose and he was taken back to Bangladesh after a period of hospitalisation. He died in February 2025.

Justice Andre Maniam said the central issue in the case was whether Toh had voluntarily hit the victim or had fallen asleep seconds before the collision.

He noted that the case had gone to trial on a charge of attempted murder, but that the prosecution submitted at the closing submission stage that the charge should be amended to voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means.

Toh did not object to the suggested amended charge and it was changed accordingly.

Attempted murder carries penalties of life imprisonment or a maximum of 20 years' jail, a fine or caning.

Voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means is punishable by life imprisonment, or with up to 15 years' jail, caning and a fine.

By law, Toh cannot be caned since he is above 50 years old.

WHAT HAPPENED

Many of the facts in this case were agreed upon by both the prosecution and Toh's lawyers from Mr Eugene Thuraisingam's law firm.

Toh was acquainted with the victim through their dealings in contraband cigarettes.

They had arranged to meet on Mar 16, 2023 in Kaki Bukit, where Toh drove a van and ran over the victim who was on a bicycle.

The collision was captured by in-vehicle camera footage from a tipper truck and a bus.

After the collision, Toh called a man named Teo Kim Chiew before driving to an abandoned warehouse along Defu Lane, where he disposed of the contraband cigarettes. He then abandoned his van along the road outside the warehouse.

Toh was found to have a background of substance use disorder and antisocial personality disorder, but his capacity for self-control or restraint was not impaired.

He also did not meet the required diagnostic criteria for stimulant withdrawal at the time.

Toh claimed to have been suffering withdrawal symptoms because he regularly abused methamphetamine and was not able to get his usual stock before the incident.

During the trial, he disputed one element of the charge, saying he did not voluntarily hurt the victim but instead fell asleep seconds before the crash and did not intend to hurt the victim.

Justice Maniam went through the accounts by Toh and two witnesses – Mr Teo and Toh's girlfriend at the time – in their police statements and at trial about this sleeping issue.

He found that Mr Teo and Toh's girlfriend had not stated that Toh told them about falling asleep at the wheel.

Instead, Mr Teo had changed his evidence in an attempt to help Toh.

Sentencing will take place at a later date.