Man convicted for rashly driving off with his lover’s husband on car bonnet

A Singaporean man was convicted Tuesday for driving away with a man on the bonnet of his car, after a judge deemed his actions an unreasonable response to the situation. Chia Hiok Seah, 50, claimed he feared for his safety and that of a woman he was with when the woman’s husband climbed onto his car.

Incident at Sengkang Car Park

The incident occurred in the early hours of June 29, 2024, at a multi-storey car park in Sengkang. Chia and a married woman were inside the car when the woman’s husband, Goh Yong Sern, arrived at the scene.

Prosecutors stated that Mr. Goh attempted to open the car doors but was unable to do so, and subsequently climbed onto the bonnet to prevent Chia and the woman from leaving. District Judge Ong Luan Tze acknowledged the pair’s desire to leave quickly but stated this did not justify their actions.

The judge noted that the car doors were locked, and there was no immediate threat of the victim entering the vehicle. She added that Chia and the woman had access to their phones and could have sought help by calling for assistance or honking the horn, given their location in a residential area. Instead, they chose to drive away with Mr. Goh on the bonnet.

Chia’s Testimony

Chia claimed he went to the car park with the woman, referred to as Shunyi in court, after dinner with friends. He stated they went to the car park for “intimacy acts,” clarifying that these did not involve sexual activity as Shunyi was menstruating.

He testified that he heard banging on the car and saw Mr. Goh, who appeared angry and threatening. Chia expressed fear that Mr. Goh would harm him or Shunyi if he gained access to the vehicle.

Chia stated that when he began to drive away, Mr. Goh was already on the bonnet, smashing against the windscreen. He claimed he stopped the car at the gantry exit when he realized Mr. Goh would not dismount voluntarily and feared causing further injury.

Judge’s Ruling

District Judge Ong found Chia’s fear of Mr. Goh unsubstantiated, noting that previous interactions between the two were verbal and non-violent. She cited video evidence showing Chia responding calmly to Mr. Goh’s verbal abuse and even scolding him for not assisting the woman.

The judge also pointed out that video footage of the incident showed Chia appearing calm and collected while driving away with Mr. Goh on the bonnet, without attempting to remove him first. She concluded that Chia knowingly endangered Mr. Goh’s life by driving the car under those circumstances.

Chia also pleaded guilty to appearing nude in the public car park.

Chia will return to court for mitigation and sentencing on April 6. He faces a potential jail term of up to one year and a fine of up to S$5,000 for endangering human life, and up to three months in jail and a fine of up to S$2,000 for appearing nude in public.