6 days ago
In Singapore, two women jailed for swapping seats near roadblock to hide unlicensed driving after drunken night out
SINGAPORE, Aug 6 — Two Singaporean friends who tried to outsmart police by swapping seats in a car to hide that one of them was driving without a licence have been jailed, The Straits Times reported.
In a Singapore court today, Estella Sun Weilin, 32, was sentenced to six weeks in prison, while Fong Yoke Mun, 29, received five weeks' jail. Both were also banned from driving all classes of vehicles for two years.
According to the Singapore national daily, the incident happened in the early hours of December 23, 2023, after the pair had been drinking at a pub in Circular Road, Singapore. Fong, who was feeling unwell, allowed Sun to drive her car despite knowing her friend had no valid driving licence.
As Sun drove along Upper Cross Street, she spotted a police roadblock about 100m ahead. Court documents cited by The Straits Times state that she reversed the vehicle in the middle of a junction and turned into Eu Tong Sen Street to avoid it.
Officers stationed at the roadblock gave chase. When the car stopped at a red light at the junction of Eu Tong Sen Street and North Canal Road, the women swapped seats to make it appear that Fong had been driving.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Tan Pei Wei told the court that the women acted to prevent Sun from being arrested. However, officers approaching the car noticed the switch and detected the smell of alcohol. Both failed breathalyser tests, The Straits Times reported.
Fong's breath alcohol content was 46 micrograms per 100 millilitres — above Singapore's legal limit of 35 micrograms — while Sun's was 19 micrograms. Both were arrested and later charged in court in 2025.
In July, they pleaded guilty to performing an act that could obstruct the course of justice. Sun also admitted to driving without a licence, while Fong pleaded guilty to allowing her to do so.
Defence lawyer SS Dhillon urged the court to impose lighter sentences, saying Sun's actions were out of character and fuelled by poor judgment, and that Fong would be 'extra vigilant' in future.
The court imposed the custodial terms sought by the prosecution.
