HABEEB ZALEENA D/O PALLIVILAKAM KADER HABEEB MOHAMED v PUBLIC PROSECUTOR

[2026] SGHC 99 High Court (General Division) 8 May 2026 • HC/MA 9175/2025/01 • 25 min read
17 cases cited

Catchwords

Criminal Law — Statutory offences — Road Traffic Act Criminal Procedure and Sentencing — Sentencing — Appeals

Practice Areas

Criminal Law Criminal Procedure and Sentencing

Judges (1)

Kannan Ramesh Delivered

Counsel (6)

Attorney-General's Chambers Firm Damodara Ong LLC Firm Grace Chua Zhu Ern Counsel Respondent Isabel Ho Ci Xian Counsel Appellant Mohamed Riasudeen Counsel Respondent S.M. Sukhmit Singh Counsel Appellant

Parties (2)

Public Prosecutor Respondent Habeeb Zaleena d/o Pallivilakam Kader Habeeb Mohamed Appellant

Case Significance

Habeeb Zaleena d/o Pallivilakam Kader Habeeb Mohamed v Public Prosecutor [2026] SGHC 99, decided by Justice of the Appeal Division Kannan Ramesh on 8 May 2026, dismissed Habeeb Zaleena's Magistrate's Appeal against her sentence of 11 weeks' imprisonment and five-year driving disqualification for driving without reasonable consideration for other persons under s 65(1)(b) of the Road Traffic Act 1961. The incident occurred on the morning of 30 September 2020 on lane one of Woodlands Road. The appellant, represented by Damodara Ong LLC (S.M. Sukhmit Singh and Isabel Ho Ci Xian), argued that the custodial threshold had not been crossed and sought a fine instead, but JAD Kannan Ramesh upheld the custodial term after hearing the appeal on 20 March 2026.

Summary

Habeeb Zaleena, a motorist who pleaded guilty to driving without reasonable consideration under s 65(1)(b) of the Road Traffic Act, appealed against an 11-week imprisonment term and five-year driving disqualification imposed after she made a swift right turn without checking for oncoming traffic, causing a collision that seriously injured a dispatch rider and sent his motorcycle into further traffic. She argued the custodial threshold had not been crossed and sought a fine instead. The High Court dismissed the appeal, finding the imprisonment term was not manifestly excessive given the serious injuries caused and the applicable sentencing framework.

Was the 11-week imprisonment for driving without reasonable consideration upheld on appeal in [2026] SGHC 99?

Yes. Justice of the Appeal Division Kannan Ramesh dismissed Habeeb Zaleena d/o Pallivilakam Kader Habeeb Mohamed's appeal on 20 March 2026, upholding the 11-week imprisonment and five-year driving disqualification imposed for driving without reasonable consideration on Woodlands Road on 30 September 2020.

Statutes Cited

Road Traffic Act (Cap 276)
s 65(1)(b)

Cases Cited (17)

SG (4)
[2017] SGHC 240 [2020] SGHC 114 [2024] SGHC 262 [2025] SGDC 307
SLR (13)
[2005] 1 SLR(R) 611 [2006] 4 SLR(R) 653 [2008] 2 SLR(R) 684 [2010] 1 SLR 707 [2013] 4 SLR 1139 [2014] 3 SLR 180 [2015] 1 SLR 309 [2017] 5 SLR 755 [2019] 2 SLR 764 [2020] 1 SLR 849 [2020] 3 SLR 825 [2024] 3 SLR 1730 [2025] 3 SLR 509

Judgment

Read the full judgment on the official Singapore Courts portal.

Read on eLitigation

Source: eLitigation ([2026] SGHC 99)