A 39-year-old Singaporean man, Teo Kok Meng, was sentenced on Monday, December 1, 2025, to four weeks' jail after pleading guilty to one count of obstructing justice. The charge stemmed from his attempt to shift blame onto a friend following a fatal traffic accident in 2022.
The Fatal Accident
The incident occurred on September 27, 2022:
Pre-Accident: Teo, his girlfriend, and a colleague, Tan Kah Kiat Jacky, 35, had consumed alcohol and food at a coffeeshop in Bukit Batok before driving away.
Collision: While Teo was driving along Choa Chu Kang Avenue 1, his car collided with a power-assisted bicycle ridden by 28-year-old delivery rider Samuel Seet Wei Jie, who emerged from a slip road. Mr. Seet, who was newly married and performing food deliveries to supplement his income, was flung onto the road and later died in the hospital.
Drink Driving: Following the accident, all three occupants of Teo's car (Teo, his girlfriend, and later Tan) failed preliminary breathalyser tests.
Obstruction of Justice
Immediately after the collision, Teo initiated a cover-up:
Call to Friend: While paramedics tended to the victim, Teo called Tan, who walked from his nearby home to the accident scene.
The Lie: When Traffic Police arrived, Teo and his girlfriend falsely claimed they did not know who was driving, with Teo denying he was the driver. Tan then approached the investigation officer and lied that he had been driving to shield Teo from criminal responsibility.
Sustaining the Falsehood: Teo knew Tan was lying but maintained the falsehood throughout the initial police encounter and during statement recording at 7 am the next morning.
The Truth: Tan later admitted to the investigation officer that he had lied and that Teo was the actual driver. Teo subsequently admitted the truth in a further statement. Tan had previously pleaded guilty to a similar charge and was sentenced to three weeks' jail in March.
Sentencing and Culpability
The prosecution sought a sentence of five to six weeks' jail for Teo, arguing that his deliberate lie could have potentially hindered the police's investigation into his criminal liability for the fatal accident.
No Road Traffic Charges: The police noted they had insufficient evidence to prove Teo had caused the fatal accident, and his second breathalyser test was below the legal limit, meaning he was not charged with driving causing death or drink driving.
Judge's Ruling: In sentencing, the judge deemed Teo more culpable than Tan, stating Teo "started the whole thing" by falsely claiming he was not the driver. Additionally, Tan was the first to retract his false statement.
For obstructing justice, Teo faced a maximum penalty of up to seven years' jail, a fine, or both.
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