Man jailed for getting someone to take driving test on friend's behalf
Seeing that his friend needed help in passing a driving theory test, a man got someone to impersonate his friend to take the test on his behalf.
Yesterday, Ng Chai, 62, was sentenced to four weeks in jail after he pleaded guilty to abetting an offence of cheating by personation.
The court heard that Ng and his friend, Mr Tan Chai Meng, 52, were chatting at a coffee shop sometime in 2019.
Mr Tan had been working as a lorry driver but could not work long hours as he was undergoing chemotherapy for stomach cancer.
Ng then suggested Mr Tan work as a private-hire car driver, but Mr Tan said he would not be able to pass the private-hire car driver's vocational licence (PDVL) test as he was not proficient in English. The PDVL test consists of two theory papers.
Ng offered to take the test for him, but later realised he could not do so as he had previously been caught attempting to take the test for someone else, Deputy Public Prosecutor Benedict Teong said.
As such, he approached another friend, Mr Ho Yow Peng, 59, for help, and Mr Ho agreed.
On Jan 2, Ng passed Mr Ho the personal identification items of Mr Tan.
When Mr Ho was taking the test later that day, the tester noticed that Mr Ho looked different from the photographs on the identity card and driver's licence.
Mr Ho only responded to Mr Tan's name on the third time, and did not make any eye contact.
When questioned, he insisted he was Mr Tan.
When he returned for the second test, Mr Ho told the tester he looked different from the photograph on Mr Tan's NRIC as he had lost some weight because of a serious car accident.
Mr Tan was confronted the next day when he returned to request for a printout of his PDVL test result as Mr Ho failed the second test.
A police report was made.
DPP Teong asked for at least two months' jail, stating that Ng had played a key role in the conspiracy as the mastermind.
While he noted that Ng had not acted for personal benefit, he added that Ng had been banned by the Land Transport Authority after he was caught trying to take the test on someone else's behalf.
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