SINGAPORE: A 37-year-old man was charged in court on Monday (Nov 11) over a stabbing incident in a Catholic church that sent shockwaves across the nation and rallied religious groups in solidarity against the alleged violence.
Basnayake Keith Spencer, a Singaporean, was handed one count of voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapon to Father Christopher Lee.
Spencer is accused of using a foldable knife to stab Father Christopher Lee Kwong Heng in the mouth at about 6.30pm on Nov 9 at St Joseph's Church at Upper Bukit Timah.
Fr Lee, who is the parish priest of the church, underwent surgery to close his wounds and was reported to be in stable condition and recovering in hospital a day after the incident.
The alleged attack took place during communion at the parish's monthly children's mass, where children take on duties that adults usually undertake, such as singing in the choir.
Members of the congregation, including the Archdiocesan Emergency Response team, helped subdue Spencer, who was allegedly wielding a foldable knife.
Four other weapons including a penknife and a mallet were later found on Spencer, who is not a regular at the church.
According to Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam, Spencer is Singaporean Sinhalese and had previously declared to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority that he is Christian.
Preliminary investigations indicate that he acted alone, with the police currently not suspecting that this is an act of terrorism.
If convicted of voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapon, he could be jailed for up to 15 years and fined or caned.
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Basnayake Keith Spencer, a Singaporean, was handed one count of voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapon to Father Christopher Lee.
Spencer is accused of using a foldable knife to stab Father Christopher Lee Kwong Heng in the mouth at about 6.30pm on Nov 9 at St Joseph's Church at Upper Bukit Timah.
Fr Lee, who is the parish priest of the church, underwent surgery to close his wounds and was reported to be in stable condition and recovering in hospital a day after the incident.
The alleged attack took place during communion at the parish's monthly children's mass, where children take on duties that adults usually undertake, such as singing in the choir.
Members of the congregation, including the Archdiocesan Emergency Response team, helped subdue Spencer, who was allegedly wielding a foldable knife.
Four other weapons including a penknife and a mallet were later found on Spencer, who is not a regular at the church.
According to Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam, Spencer is Singaporean Sinhalese and had previously declared to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority that he is Christian.
Preliminary investigations indicate that he acted alone, with the police currently not suspecting that this is an act of terrorism.
If convicted of voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapon, he could be jailed for up to 15 years and fined or caned.
Continue reading...