A 26-year-old delivery rider in Singapore has been fined after he left a live fish worth S$1,500 unattended in his vehicle for several hours, resulting in its death. The case stemmed from his first assignment as a part-time rider under Lalamove.
The fish involved was an Asian red arowana, a species commonly regarded as a high-value ornamental aquarium fish. Court documents revealed that the rider, Mohamad Isman bin Rosli, pleaded guilty to two charges related to the incident.
He was fined S$2,000, with a default jail term of two weeks if the fine is not paid.
Fish Left In Car For At Least Four Hours
According to court proceedings, Isman collected the arowana from Fu Long Aquatics at around 9pm on 7 October 2025. The fish was packed in a white plastic bag for delivery.
About 40 minutes later, the delivery job was reportedly cancelled due to a technical glitch in the app. Despite the cancellation, he did not return the fish to the farm nor deliver it to the customer.
Instead, he continued with other delivery assignments while leaving the live fish inside his car for several hours without proper care.
After completing his other tasks around 1am, he returned to the farm but found it closed. He then drove home with the fish still in his vehicle.
Court documents stated that he later discovered the fish had died after being left in the car for at least four hours.
Dead Fish Disposed Of Without Informing Anyone
Upon realising the fish had died, Isman disposed of it in a rubbish chute at the void deck of his housing block. He did not inform either the customer or the aquatic farm about the incident.
The prosecution stated that he was fully aware he was transporting a live animal and understood that failing to care for it properly could result in financial loss to the customer.
The value of the fish was stated to be S$1,500.
False Statement To Police
The following day, a representative from the farm lodged a police report regarding the missing fish.
During police questioning, Isman initially claimed that he had returned the fish to the farm at around 11.45pm on the night of the delivery. However, investigators reviewed footage from police cameras, including recordings from his residential area, which contradicted his statement.
After being confronted with the evidence, he admitted that he had disposed of the dead fish. He was subsequently arrested on 21 January 2026.
As of 27 February 2026, he had not made restitution to the affected customer.
Charges And Court Outcome
Isman pleaded guilty on 5 March 2026 to committing mischief that resulted in the death of the fish, as well as giving false information to police by claiming he had returned it to the farm.
The case serves as a reminder that delivery service providers are responsible for ensuring the safe handling of items, particularly live animals, during transport. Failure to do so can result in criminal charges and financial penalties.
Authorities continue to encourage individuals engaged in delivery work to follow proper procedures, especially when handling perishable goods or live cargo, to avoid similar incidents in the future.