SINGAPORE – A Filipina who was drunk and soiled a taxi with vomit was jailed for five weeks on Wednesday (July 19) for hitting the cabby with her shoe.
Marie Antonette Buhain Llagas, 41, who was working in sales at the time, was also fined $500 for paying taxi driver Chua Cheng Hwa, 47, only part of the taxi fare without reasonable excuse. She paid him $20 when the actual fare was $24.90.
The incident took place on Dec 21, 2015, at the ground floor of a block of flats at Pasir Ris Drive 10.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Joshua Rene Jeyaraj told the court that when Llagas, who is a Singapore permanent resident, boarded Mr. Chua’s taxi along Mosque Street on Dec 20 that year, he observed that she reeked of alcohol. He passed her a plastic bag in case she needed to vomit.
She did during the journey, but at some point dropped the bag of vomit. Mr. Chua then pulled up the taxi along Kaki Bukit slip road to check.
When he saw vomit stains on the rear passenger seats and floor mat, he told her he needed to send his taxi for cleaning, which would affect his earnings for the night. Llagas voluntarily offered to pay $50 as compensation and clean the stains. Mr. Chua agreed and continued the journey to Pasir Ris.
Upon arrival at the loading bay of the block, Llagas’ 48-year-old boyfriend was waiting for her. She alighted but did not pay the $24.90 fare or the $50 compensation. Instead, she walked away with her boyfriend.
Mr. Chua followed her. Llagas told him she would not pay the $50 but only the taxi fare of $24.90, and offered to clean the taxi. Mr. Chua agreed and followed the couple into the lift to collect cleaning equipment.
When they reached the 15th floor, Llagas walked off first. Mr. Chua later went down to the ground floor with her boyfriend to wait for her.
At 12.27am, she came down without cleaning equipment. She passed two $10 notes and let go of them before Mr. Chua could take them, then walked off hastily with her boyfriend.
After picking up the $20, Mr. Chua went after her and got into the lift with the couple. CCTV footage in the lift showed Mr. Chua questioning Llagas about the remaining $4.90. She refused to pay.
When Mr. Chua tried to take her photo with his mobile phone, Llagas swung her hand at the device, causing it to fall. She then hit him.
After leaving the lift at the void deck, Llagas removed her shoe and used it to hit Mr. Chua several times.
A passer-by intervened and shielded the taxi driver. The witness said Llagas ignored his advice not to chase Mr. Chua. Another witness also stopped her and persuaded her to put her shoes back on.
In passing sentence, District Judge Eugene Teo noted that Mr. Chua did not suffer serious injury and that Llagas was remorseful and had tendered an apology.
However, he rejected her lawyer Sarbrinder Singh’s plea for a fine or light imprisonment, calling it “completely unrealistic” for such an offence.
Judge Teo said:
“From the cases, it ought to become clear that it really does not matter who you are, local or foreign, rich or poor, have family to support or not, because if you behave this way, you can expect to receive an appropriately stiff sentence even if you are a first offender.”
Llagas could have been jailed for up to two years and/or fined up to $5,000 for causing hurt. For the second charge, the maximum penalty is a $1,000 fine.
