SINGAPORE: A 61-year-old man was charged with attempted murder on Wednesday (May 6) after he stabbed a National Parks Board (NParks) officer at the Sungei Serangoon Park Connector earlier in the week.
During the virtual court hearing, District Judge Clement Tan noted Ahirrudin Al-Had Haji Arrifin’s medical history at the Institute of Mental Health.
Ahirrudin, who appeared via video link wearing a red shirt and sitting on a wheelchair, will be remanded at Complex Medical Centre in Changi Prison for three weeks.
The case will be mentioned next on May 27.
The police said they received a call for assistance at about 12.05pm on Monday from an NParks officer who said her colleague had been stabbed along Sengkang East Drive.
The attack happened after NParks officers saw the man illegally cutting plants at the park connector, according to the police. He was also not wearing a mask.
When approached and questioned by the NParks officers, the man turned aggressive and allegedly attacked the victim with a sharp instrument before quickly leaving the scene, the authorities said.
A bicycle belonging to the suspect who allegedly stabbed an NParks officer on May 4, 2020. (Photo: Singapore Police Force)
The man fled the scene on his bicycle before the police arrived and was arrested within one-and-a-half hours. Photographs released by the authorities showed several sharp tools that were found on him, including a fruit peeler, pliers and a knife blade.
Ahirrudin will also be investigated for possession of offensive weapons in public places and breach of safe distancing measures.
If convicted of attempted murder, the punishment is up to 15 years in jail and a fine, or life imprisonment if hurt is caused to any person by such an act.
The victim sustained serious injuries to his chest, arm and hand, said the police, adding that he was conscious when taken to Changi General Hospital. He is now in stable condition, after undergoing surgery.
According to Second Minister for National Development Desmond Lee in a Facebook post on Monday, around 1,000 NParks officers have been deployed to reinforce safe distancing measures in parks, gardens and nature reserves.
BOOKMARK THIS: Our comprehensive coverage of the coronavirus outbreak and its developments
Download our app or subscribe to our Telegram channel for the latest updates on the coronavirus outbreak: https://cna.asia/telegram
