SINGAPORE – A Traffic Police officer who was speeding when his motorcycle hit and caused the death of a 58-year-old pedestrian in June 2023 was sentenced to seven months’ jail on Sept 9.

Muhammad Firdaus Yusoff, 32, who had previously pleaded guilty to one count of riding without due care or reasonable consideration to others, was also disqualified from holding or obtaining all classes of driving licences for eight years after his release.

In sentencing Firdaus, District Judge Kok Shu-En said: “You of all people should have known just how dangerous it is to be travelling at such speeds.”

A Singapore Police Force (SPF) spokesperson said with the conclusion of the case in court, the force will commence internal disciplinary action against Firdaus, who joined the Traffic Police in 2020 and holds the rank of Sergeant (3).

He was suspended from front-line duties following the incident.

“Officers of the SPF are expected to exercise the utmost care for the safety of the public when going about their duties,” the spokesperson added.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Daphne Lim said Firdaus began his shift at about 1pm on June 21, 2023. He was returning to the Traffic Police Headquarters in Ubi at about 5.30pm when he was dispatched to attend to an incident in Sengkang involving a motorcycle that had skidded.

The incident was not classified as an emergency, and DPP Lim said Firdaus was aware that he was not supposed to travel above the speed limit when responding to such incidents.

He was riding along Hougang Avenue 3 when he saw Mr Tan Leng Hing crossing the road.

After realising that Mr Tan had not noticed the blinker lights and siren from his motorcycle, Firdaus braked hard and sounded his horn. He also tried to swerve to the right to avoid colliding into Mr Tan but was not able to.

Upon impact, Mr Tan was flung onto the grass verge of the centre divider. Firdaus also fell off the motorcycle, which overturned and fell on its side.

Mr Tan was unconscious when he was taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital and died later that day from multiple injuries.

The prosecutor said Mr Tan was not jaywalking because the location where he crossed the road was further than 50m from the nearby overhead bridge. Any pedestrian within 50m of a pedestrian crossing is required to use it when crossing a road.

“However, any pedestrian who (is) not crossing at a pedestrian crossing is still required to yield the right of way to oncoming vehicles,” DPP Lim added.

Firdaus was found to have been going at 108kmh before the accident. The speed limit in the area was 50kmh. For riding without due consideration causing death, he could have been jailed for up to three years, fined up to $10,000, or both.