FORMER tyre mechanic Teoh Thiam Lim was fined RM10,000 today (Nov 23) after he pleaded guilty to an amended charge of reckless driving that resulted in the death of marathon runner Evelyn Ang in December 2017.
A three-member Court of Appeal bench chaired by Justice Hanipah Farikullah also ordered Teoh Thiam Lim’s driving licence to be suspended for five years effective today.
According to an FMT report, Teoh’s lawyer, Ravi Nekko, informed the bench that the Attorney-General’s Chambers had accepted his client’s representation to reduce the charge under Section 42(1) of the Road Transport Act.
The offence for driving recklessly without due care and attention carries a jail term of up to five years and a fine of between RM5,000 and RM15,000.
The offender’s licence must be suspended for a minimum of two years from the date of the conviction.
Deputy public prosecutor Fauziah Daud confirmed the representation made by Teoh.
The prosecution had abandoned its appeal against the conviction and sentence imposed by the High Court after Teoh’s representation was accepted.
On May 27, 2019 Teoh was sentenced to four years in jail and fined RM7,000 for causing Ang’s death. His driving license was also suspended for three years.
On December 10, 2017, Ang was knocked down in a hit-and-run during the Klang City International Marathon that year, which caused her to suffer a fractured skull and brain haemorrhage.
The 44-year-old was left in a coma for several months before succumbing to her injuries in the early hours of March 1, 2018.
Teoh was charged under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act, which carries a minimum two years and maximum 10 years’ jail term upon conviction.
During mitigation today, Ravi said Teoh had spent 21 days in jail after the magistrate refused the stay of sentence. He was freed after the High Court allowed him bail pending the outcome of his appeal.
“I urge the court to temper justice with mercy as he will lose his job if sent to jail,” Ravi was reported as saying by the news portal.
He added that the bench should take into account the 21 days Teoh was in prison.
Fauziah urged the bench, which included Justices Datuk Ahmad Nasfy Yasin and Datuk Nordin Hassan, to impose an appropriate sentence, including a three-year jail term, as a life was lost. – Nov 23, 2022
Main pic credit: Malay Mail
