SINGAPORE: A man who did not have a driving licence used his friend’s account with car-sharing platform GetGo to drive 45 times over seven months until he was caught by a traffic police officer for speeding on an expressway.
Jamus Tan Le Xuan, 22, was sentenced on Thursday (Nov 30) to 15 months’ probation. He was ordered to perform 80 hours of community service and banned from driving while under probation.
Tan pleaded guilty to three charges – cheating GetGo, driving without a licence and driving without insurance. Another two charges, including driving at a speed of 123kmh, were taken into consideration.
The court heard that Tan did not have a driving licence. In early May 2022, Tan’s friend, a 19-year-old man, used Tan’s mobile phone to access his own GetGo account as his own phone battery was running flat.
The friend forgot to log out of his account before returning Tan’s phone to him. The GetGo mobile application on Tan’s phone continued to have access to the account belonging to Tan’s friend.
Tan began using his friend’s GetGo account, linking it to his own debit card for the rides he took.
Between May 15 and Dec 25, 2022, he used his friend’s account to book vehicles on 45 occasions.
Tan paid between S$16 and S$154.80 for each ride, with the priciest booking for a trip from 6.15pm on May 20, 2022 to 5.50am the next morning.
He often booked vehicles at night and returned them in the early mornings.
At about 10pm on Dec 25 last year, Tan rented another GetGo vehicle in Ang Mo Kio, using his friend’s account.
He drove to Jalan Sultan before heading to Bukit Gombak. At about 4.10am the next day, he was speeding along the Pan Island Expressway at 123kmh when a traffic police officer spotted him.
The officer stopped Tan, and arrested him after realising Tan did not have a valid driving licence.
A probation suitability report found Tan suitable for probation. Tan’s father furnished a bond of S$5,000 (US$3,755) to ensure his son’s good behaviour during his probation.