In a bizarre turn of events, a man found himself behind bars after attempting to deceive authorities following a minor car accident.
29-year-old Chai Wen Hin, was sentenced on 23 October to two days in jail after pleading guilty to giving false information to a public servant, according to Channel NewsAsia.
The Scene of the Deception
The incident took place on May 11, 2021, along Park Crescent at around 1 pm. Chai, who was standing near his parked car, had an unexpected encounter with a 72-year-old man named Mr. Ho Jin Sam.
Mr. Ho purportedly reversed his vehicle into Chai’s parked car, causing a minor collision, and purportedly refused to give his contact information to the latter.
After the accident, Chai went to see a doctor, and here’s where the deception began. He claimed to the doctor that he was inside his stationary car during the collision, emphasizing that he had his seatbelt on and suffered neck pain as a result of the impact.
This false narrative would be the foundation for his later claims and actions.
False Statements to the Authorities
Chai’s deceit continued as he proceeded to the police station to file a report about the traffic accident, stating that he was merely waiting for a friend when Mr. Ho’s vehicle reversed into his car and hit his front bumper.
He claimed to have approached Mr. Ho, who professed ignorance about the collision, and was rejected when he asked for his contact details, only allowing him to photograph his license plate instead.
In his report to the General Insurance Association, Chai declared his intention to make an insurance claim against Mr. Ho, alleging a neck injury as a result of the accident. To support his claim, he asserted that his neck felt uncomfortable on the right side due to the impact.
The Unraveling of Deception
The truth finally began to emerge when the investigation took an unexpected turn. Closed-circuit television footage revealed that Chai was in fact outside his vehicle at the time of the accident, directly contradicting his earlier statements.
With this evidence in hand, the traffic police investigation officer confronted Chai, forcing him to retract his false report.