43-year-old taxi driver Ler Chun Poh (also known as Lu Junbao), was convicted on 30 October of molesting a 17-year-old girl three times under the pretext of helping her put on and remove her seatbelt, after offering her a free ride, according to Channel NewsAsia.
The Fateful Night
The unsettling incident took place on the night of October 29, 2021, at about 11.40pm, when the victim found herself alone at a bus stop adjacent to a car park near Block 486, Choa Chu Kang Avenue 5.
Her predicament arose from her earlier attempt to locate her boyfriend’s BlueSG rental car, as she believed she had inadvertently left her phone inside.
She was feeling worried at the time because she tried to find her missing phone but without success.
It was at this point that Ler Chun Poh entered the scene. He stopped his taxi and engaged her in conversation, ultimately offering her a free ride despite finding out that she didn’t have money to pay him.
Notably, the victim had made no gestures indicating her intent to flag down a taxi. Nevertheless, she decided to accept the offer, boarding Ler’s taxi when he insisted.
Unwanted Advances
Sitting in the front passenger seat, the girl asked the Ler for his phone number so she could ask her mother to help transfer money to him to pay for the taxi trip, but the driver refused.
Inside the taxi, a beeping sound emitted signalling that the girl’s seatbelt was not put on, and the girl then attempted to do so.
At the same time, Ler then reached out his hand in an attempt to “help” her, brushing his hand against her chest with pressure.
He also didn’t tell the girl or warn her that he was going to reach towards her or hold on to her seatbelt, and the girl was shocked at what happened but kept quiet.
Upon reaching a nearby car park, the victim disembarked to search for her boyfriend’s BlueSG car, which was parked in the vicinity.
Ler Chun Poh remained in his cab, patiently waiting. Unfortunately, her search for her phone proved fruitless, leading her back to the taxi, where Ler offered to take her home.
Unsettling Persistence
Although the victim declined the offer, Ler insisted on dropping her off somewhere nearby. With no one else around, the victim felt increasingly uneasy. She later described her state of mind as “unstable,” consumed by the desire to find her lost phone.
This state of distress continued as she began to fasten her seatbelt once more, even though no reminder had sounded. It was during this act that Ler Chun Poh once again violated her personal boundaries, molesting her without warning while assisting with the seatbelt.
The victim, experiencing shock and fear, later disembarked the taxi, expressing her gratitude for the ride.
She proceeded to approach a group of strangers, seeking their assistance in borrowing a phone. Her first calls were to her boyfriend and the police, disclosing the distressing encounter and the molestation that had taken place.
Ler is set to return to court next month for his mitigation and sentencing.