JOHOR BARU, Jan 24 – A 27-year-old man was fined RM5,500 by the Magistrate’s Court here today for careless and inconsiderate driving that caused an accident, injuring another driver, before fleeing the scene last week.
Christopher Lim Ka Hen, who was previously a wanted fugitive, pleaded guilty after the charge was read to him before Magistrate Nur Fatin Mohamad Farid.
The accused, a customer service executive, was also ordered to serve a six-month prison sentence if he fails to pay the fine.
According to the charge sheet, Lim was driving a BMW in a careless and inconsiderate manner at the Jalan Sungai Danga-Jalan Nusa Bestari traffic light intersection here on January 17 at about 3.10am.
He was charged under Section 43(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987, which carries a fine of up to RM10,000 and a maximum prison sentence of 12 months.
Lim, who was unrepresented, requested a lighter sentence, citing that he was still single and had parents to support.
Inspector S. Vikineswary from the Johor Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department (JSPT) prosecuted the case.
The court imposed the fine and ordered that Lim’s driving licence be endorsed with details of the conviction.
On January 19, Iskandar Puteri police chief Assistant Commissioner M. Kumarasan said traffic investigators were tracking down the driver of a white BMW to assist in an investigation into an accident involving a Perodua Aruz multi-purpose vehicle (MPV).
The accident reportedly occurred when the Perodua Aruz, which had the right of way at a green traffic light, was hit from the right side by the BMW.
The MPV driver, a 26-year-old man, suffered a broken right hand, while the BMW driver fled the scene.
