30-year-old Tan Chee Kiat, a former Certis Cisco officer, was fined $2,500 on 31 August after pleading guilty to causing grievous hurt after he caused a vehicle accident at the Istana on 23 August last year.
He had raised the bollards from the ground without noticing an oncoming car, and caused the driver to crash into the metal bollards.
As a result, the Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Mr Chee Wee Kiong, and his driver Mr Abdul Latif Karim, sustained multiple injuries.
The incident also happened during US Vice President Kamala Harris’ official visit to Singapore last year.
What happened?
Tan was deployed to a security post at the Istana on 23 August 2021, and he was tasked with operating the bollards in the ground, that are raised to block access to cars.
The Permanent Secretary For Foreign Affairs, Chee Wee Kiong, was being driven by Abdul Latif Karim after clearing the security checks.
Tan then raised the bollards at about 9.15am, failing to notice that a vehicle had yet to pass through the bollards, resulting in the car crashing into the bollards.
The car in question was travelling at about 10km/hr at the time, and the driver Abdul Latif said that he was unable to stop the car in time despite seeing the bollards being raised.
Abdul Latif and Chee both suffered multiple injuries, with the latter suffering multiple fractures that included a broken sternum and tooth.
He was hospitalised for 2 days.
Abdul Latif sustained a sternum fracture as well, and a contusion o his left knee and was hospitalised for one day.