SINGAPORE: Former actor Edmund Chen has been granted permission to leave Singapore while awaiting the date of his appeal against a jail sentence for a traffic accident.
District Judge Shawn Ho approved Chen’s application to travel to China for business from March 17 to 26, and to Japan for a personal trip between April 15 and May 3.
Chen’s bailor will have to furnish an additional S$10,000 (US$7,818) during the period of his travel, on top of the existing $15,000 bail.
Identified in court documents as Tan Kai Yuan, the 64-year-old was sentenced to five days’ jail on Jan 29, after pleading guilty to one count of causing grievous hurt to a motorcyclist.
He was also disqualified from driving for five years.
The judge had imposed the jail term despite the prosecution asking for only a fine of between $3,000 and $5,000.
Chen was initially granted a deferment for his sentence to begin on March 9, but he submitted an appeal against the sentence on Feb 2. His sentence was stayed on Feb 6 pending the outcome of his appeal.
He also changed his team of lawyers from Mr Josephus Tan and Mr Cory Wong of Invictus Law to Mr Kelvin Ong and Mr Dickson Chew of Contigo Law.
Video footage played in court on Jan 29 showed Chen driving on the AYE towards the CTE around noon on March 4, 2025.
Just before the point of collision, Chen slowed down almost to a complete stop on the expressway, before filtering abruptly into another lane.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Stephen Yeo said this was because Chen had not formed up in the correct lane but still tried to enter the CTE/SLE by braking abruptly and filtering against a chevron marking.
The prosecution said Chen had failed to keep a proper lookout. A motorcyclist coming from behind crashed into his car despite swerving to avoid him.
The 21-year-old victim had to undergo surgery for multiple wrist fractures.
He was hospitalised for two days and given 99 days of hospitalisation leave, but did not suffer any permanent disability. - The Straits Times/ANN
