SINGAPORE — Irritated with a bus driver who stopped at a bus stop to give directions to a commuter, Isman Abdullah went up to the driver and forcefully shoved his face.

The 63-year-old Singaporean had earlier been verbally aggressive to the bus driver and demanded that he drive faster because he needed to use the bathroom urgently.

On Tuesday (Oct 5), Isman was jailed five weeks and fined S$1,000 for voluntarily causing hurt to the 35-year-old driver and for not wearing a mask at the time of the incident.

The court heard that the offence occurred on Nov 5 last year on bus service 61. 

When Isman first boarded the bus along Macpherson Road at about 10.15pm, his mask was pulled down to his chin. 

He wore his mask properly only after the SMRT bus driver, Mr Chan Ka Yang, reminded him to do so.

Along the way, at one of the bus stops, a commuter asked Mr Chan for directions and he told the commuter to hop on the bus.

Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Teo Siu Ming said: “At this juncture, as the accused needed to urinate, he became irritated with what he perceived to be an undue delay occasioned by the (driver).”

Isman became verbally aggressive from his seat at the rear of the bus and asked Mr Chan to explain the delay. Mr Chan ignored him.

At about 10.32pm, Isman repeatedly pressed the bell to signal that he wanted to alight.

When he got off from the back door, he saw another commuter asking Mr Chan for directions.

Isman, who again had his mask pulled down to his chin, walked up to the front of the bus and shouted at Mr Chan. He then boarded the bus again and shoved Mr Chan’s face.

Mr Chan, who suffered minor bruising, did not retaliate and immediately closed the doors after Isman left the scene.

The assault was captured on surveillance cameras and footage of it was shown in court on Tuesday.

Seeking four to six months’ jail and fine for Isman, DPP Teo said that the assault was unprovoked and that Isman had hit Mr Chan’s face, a vulnerable part of his body.

She also argued that Isman had some level of premediation by exiting and re-entering the bus to hit Mr Chan.

DPP Teo added that Isman has committed past offences involving violence and disturbance to public order, including robbery, affray and disorderly behaviour. 

She said that she did not seek compensation because Mr Chan did not get a copy of the medical bill and his employer had already reimbursed him for it.

Isman, who did not have a lawyer, told the court that he was a father of three and worked as a cleaner.

“I regret this mistake. I promise I won’t do it again and I beg (for) leniency,” he said.