Singapore-Johor Express bus driver gets jail for running over passenger’s legs, later amputated

SINGAPORE: A bus driver was sentenced to three weeks’ jail and banned from driving for two years for driving over a woman’s legs at Woodlands Checkpoint.

The 74-year-old woman had fallen when he drove off without waiting for her to alight and wound up under the rear bus tyre. Her legs were later amputated. 

Gunaselan R Subramaniam, a 45-year-old Malaysian, had been convicted last week of causing grievous hurt by a negligent act, after defending the charge at trial.

He was employed at the time by Singapore-Johor Express, a company providing transport between Singapore and Malaysia.

While ferrying passengers across the border on Jun 24, 2019, he stopped at the departure concourse at Woodlands Checkpoint for passengers to alight. However, he did not wait for the last passenger, 74-year-old Tuminah Sapie.

He drove off, causing her to fall out of the bus. The rear tyre of the bus ran over her, fracturing parts of her legs and leaving her bloodied on the ground.

Gunaselan contested the charge, arguing that he had not acted negligently and could not have endangered Mdm Tuminah’s safety.

The prosecution called witnesses who testified that Gunaselan was talking on the phone around the time the incident occurred.

For causing grievous hurt by a negligent act endangering personal safety, an offender can be jailed for up to two years, fined up to S$5,000, or both.