Driver who travelled against the flow of traffic along AYE, offered a $50,000 bail

The driver who is involved in the fatal accident along AYE (Tuas) on 19 December 2016, was offered a bail of $50,000 on Thursday (9 February). He was travelling against the flow of traffic at the time of the accident.
Lim Chai Heng appeared via videolink from Changi Medical Centre where he was being remanded for psychiatric assessment.
The Institute of Mental Health told the Court that Lim is of sound mind and fit to plea.
Initially, Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Teo Lu Jia asked for Lim’s bail to be set at $100,000, stating that Lim faces serious charges for causing one death and four other injured.
DPP Teo also stressed that Lim may face additional charges involving these injured parties as he was driving in a very dangerous manner.
He has to report daily once he was bailed out at the Special Investigation Section of the Criminal Investigation Department.
However, Lim’s lawyer, Mr Yusfiyanto Yatiman, asked for the judge to grant his client a bail of $30,000, saying that his client’s family members are unable to raise the amount proposed by DPP Teo.
District Judge Kessler Soh then set the bail at $50,000 as he found the prosecution’s proposal too high and Mr Yusfiyanto’s too low.
Mr Yusfiyanto agreed, though he told the Court that Lim’s family may be able to raise $50,000 “with some trouble”.
The bail review for this case will be held on 13 February and Lim will be back in court three days later.
Lim was travelling along AYE towards Tuas Checkpoint during morning rush hour where he was believed to have made a U-turn and travelled against the flow of traffic along AYE (Tuas).
Lim then collided into several vehicles, including four cars, one motorcycle and one private bus. The wall of the expressway before Tuas West Road exit was also severely damaged.
As a result of the accident, a 37-year-old man died at the scene and four others were conveyed to the National University Hospital (NUH).
Lim is being charged to one of culpable homicide not amounting to murder. He could be jailed up to 10 years, fined, and caned. Prior to this, Lim was charged for causing death by reckless or dangerous driving which carried a maximum jail term of five years.
However, he would possibly not to be caned as, under the law in the country, a man who is above 50 cannot be caned.