Motorcyclist on Trial in Singapore for Biting Off Man’s Ear After Expressway Altercation
SINGAPORE – A 36-year-old motorcyclist is standing trial in Singapore, accused of biting off a portion of a man’s ear and causing harm to the man’s father following a roadside incident near the Pan-Island Expressway (PIE) in February 2024. Ronald Koh is conducting his own defense, and has suggested the victim’s father may have been responsible for the ear injury.
Koh faces two charges: one for biting off part of Mr. Fabian Quak Wei Quan’s ear, and another for assaulting Mr. Quak Beng Gim by hitting his back and stepping on his foot. The alleged offenses took place on February 26, 2024, at approximately 2:00 PM on the left shoulder of the PIE towards Changi, after the Sims Way exit.
Father’s Testimony Details Roadside Confrontation
Mr. Quak Beng Gim, 63, testified in Mandarin, describing how he was driving in the fourth lane of the PIE and attempting to move into the third lane. He stated that a van beside him honked, followed by Koh’s motorcycle cutting into his lane. Mr. Quak responded by honking his own horn, and alleges Koh then made gestures towards him.
“I wanted to go straight towards Changi. The motorcyclist kept gesturing at me,” Mr. Quak told the court. His son, who was a passenger, lowered the window and asked the motorcyclist what he wanted. A verbal dispute ensued, with Mr. Quak’s son reportedly using vulgar language, and the motorcyclist appearing angry and waving his hand.
Mr. Quak said the motorcyclist signaled him to stop, and feeling “very nervous,” he pulled over onto the road shoulder. A scuffle then broke out between his son and Koh, with both men falling onto a grass patch and pushing each other.
“I stood there for a while, then I ran over to both of them and my son told me the accused bit his ear,” Mr. Quak testified. He then asked his son to release Koh, who attempted to flee. Both Mr. Quak and his son then restrained Koh to prevent him from leaving.
Mr. Quak described his son as bleeding profusely from the ear injury. “I asked the accused whether he wanted to continue fighting. He didn’t reply. He was silent, so we let go of him,” he said.
The court heard that Mr. Quak and his son then searched for the severed piece of ear. Mr. Quak stated his son located the flesh on the road near a drain and wrapped it in tissue paper. They then proceeded to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital.
When questioned about why they chose a hospital further away, Mr. Quak explained that his home was in that direction and his son’s spectacles had been crushed during the fight, requiring a replacement pair.
Mr. Quak also stated he only discovered a bruise on his torso after returning home, and that his foot was swollen, suggesting it had been stepped on during the altercation.
Accused Cross-Examines Father, Alleges Evidence Tampering
Koh, representing himself after discharging his lawyers, conducted a lengthy and often interrupted cross-examination of Mr. Quak. He repeatedly questioned Mr. Quak’s account of events, and made several allegations.
Koh questioned Mr. Quak about his driving, asking if he had sped up and tailgated the motorcycle. Mr. Quak denied these claims. He also asked if Mr. Quak had intended to confront him, which Mr. Quak also denied.
Koh alleged that the video evidence submitted was edited and questioned why Mr. Quak had turned off his in-car camera when exiting the vehicle. Mr. Quak explained that the camera automatically switched off when the engine was turned off.
“The evidence was edited. There was falsifying of evidence,” Koh claimed. He further asserted that he had not signaled Mr. Quak to pull over, stating, “It doesn’t make sense to me that (you are) focusing on the situation of meeting me, without letting us know how and why you wanted to meet this motorcyclist, because I did not ask you to stop. There’s no way that a motorcyclist with two hands can ask you to stop.”
Koh claimed he was physically assaulted by Mr. Quak and his son, alleging they punched him, tore off his visor, and ripped his jacket. He presented a photograph showing a cut on his upper lip as evidence.
“You also said – ‘no one is getting out of this alive’,” Koh stated, to which Mr. Quak disagreed.
During questioning about the bitten ear, Koh suggested it may have been Mr. Quak who caused the injury, stating, “I think you might have done that, but I couldn’t have done that.” When directly asked if he had bitten the ear, Koh responded, “I’m sorry but I do not think that I am the one who bit off the ear intentionally.”
Koh described a chaotic struggle, claiming he was pushed and shoved, and that something was forced into his mouth while he was “half-blind.” He stated he bit down on whatever was in his mouth, suggesting the ear may have been among those items. “I had no choice but to keep shoving them away and they keep taking turns to come at me,” he said.
The trial continues. If convicted of causing grievous hurt by biting off a piece of Mr. Quak’s son’s ear, Koh could face up to 10 years in jail and a fine or caning. A conviction for voluntarily causing hurt to Mr. Quak could result in a jail term of up to three years, a fine of up to S$5,000, or both.
