SINGAPORE: An 18-year-old who was in a motorcycle chase along Seletar Expressway (SLE) that killed a Land Transport Authority (LTA) officer was slapped with new drug charges on Tuesday (Jul 30).
The teenager has been remanded since early June after the fatal accident. He cannot be named under the Children and Young Persons Act as he was under 18 at the time of one of his alleged offences.
On Tuesday, he received six fresh charges. These are for possessing methamphetamine, ketamine, MDMA, nimetazepam and drug utensils at a flat in 502A Woodlands Drive on Jun 4 and for consuming meth that same day.
The teenager now faces 13 charges in total. His earlier charges include having a Samurai sword on him, riding a motorcycle without a licence or insurance and selling his Singpass account on Telegram.
He also hired a lawyer – Mr Foo Ho Chew.
The bulk of the offences the teenager faces occurred on Jun 4.
At the time, he was wanted by the police for absconding in October 2023 before he was about to be sent to a community rehabilitation centre for drug-related issues.
When the late LTA officer Mr Zdulfika Ahakasah spotted him riding a motorcycle along the SLE, he asked the teen to stop, but the teenager defied his order.
Mr Zdulfika gave chase, with the teenager cutting across two lanes from the road shoulder near the Tampines Expressway exit and across the chevron marking of the expressway divider to evade the officer.
Mr Zdulfika got into an accident with two lorries and a van and was taken to hospital, where he died.
The teenager’s case went viral last month due to his remarks when he was first charged and was unrepresented by a lawyer.
He said: “I gambled my life as much as he gambled his. So the death … I may be one of the contributing factors to the death, but I am not to be blamed.”
He later asked for bail but the court rejected his application. His case was adjourned for a pre-trial conference in August.
Of the offences, the heftiest possible penalties are drug-related – he could be jailed for up to 10 years, fined up to S$20,000 or both for possessing or consuming drugs.