A legal case involving a high tension confrontation at a multi storey carpark in Sengkang has resulted in a conviction for a fifty year old man. On March 11 2026 a judge found Chia Hiok Seah guilty of committing a rash act that endangered human life. The incident which took place on June 29 2024 involved a complex dispute between the accused his female companion and the womans husband identified in court documents as Goh Yong Sern.
The events began when Chia Hiok Seah and a woman named Shunyi went for dinner with friends before driving to a carpark near her residence to engage in intimate acts. According to statements made during the proceedings the pair were nude inside the vehicle at the time of the encounter. While they were inside the car the woman spotted lights from another vehicle which Chia initially dismissed. However the situation changed abruptly when a loud banging sound started and the woman began screaming in the passenger seat.
The person causing the commotion was the womans husband who was attempting to gain entry into the vehicle. Chia claimed in court that he was in a state of shock and did not immediately realize who the man was. Once he recognized the individual as the husband he stated that he felt a sense of fear and believed the man intended to cause him and his lover physical harm. He explained that he decided to drive away because he felt he could not face the husband at that moment.
As Chia attempted to leave the scene the husband jumped onto the bonnet of the car. The accused described the man as appearing extremely angry and hitting the windscreen with his body in an attempt to break it. Chia then reversed the vehicle with the man still clinging to the bonnet hoping that the husband would get off. During this time the man on the bonnet was reportedly banging on the glass and attempting to pull out the windscreen wiper. Chia eventually stopped the car after realizing the man would not let go and noting that continuing to drive might lead to more severe injuries. The husband subsequently fell from the moving vehicle and sustained injuries.
In delivering the verdict the judge noted several key factors that contradicted the defense of acting out of fear. It was pointed out that the car doors were locked throughout the encounter meaning there was no immediate risk of the husband breaking into the vehicle. Additionally both the accused and the woman had their mobile phones available and could have called for emergency assistance. The judge also suggested that the driver could have sounded the car horn to attract attention since they were in a public residential area.
The court found it unreasonable that the first response was to drive out of the carpark while a person was positioned on the bonnet without attempting any other safer methods of resolution. Furthermore the judge highlighted that Chia had continued the affair even after knowing the husband was aware of the relationship. The fact that the intimate acts were taking place near the husbands residence suggested a lack of genuine fear. Analysis of previous text communications between the two men also showed that Chia appeared calm and even insulting rather than intimidated.
The judge concluded that the accused was fully aware that his actions posed a real risk to the life of the victim. While Chia had previously pleaded not guilty to both the rash act and a charge of public nudity the conviction for the rash act was secured on March 11. The legal proceedings will continue with a sentencing hearing scheduled to take place on April 6 2026. This case serves as a significant example of the legal standards applied to rash behavior in public spaces regardless of the personal circumstances surrounding the conflict.
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