Man charged with throwing 'watermelon knife' at police officer in Bukit Batok

SINGAPORE — A 27-year-old man was charged on Wednesday (March 16) with throwing a knife at a police officer in Bukit Batok, injuring him.

Leonard Goh Yew Cheng allegedly threw a "watermelon knife" measuring about 47cm at a 42-year-old station inspector.

The incident took place at about 9.10pm on Monday at the 13th floor corridor of a block in Bukit Batok West Avenue 8.

The handle of the knife purportedly landed on the officer's right cheek and caused a reddish bruise.

Police later raided Goh's home and found five long knives.

Goh was given one count each of voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant from his duty, carrying an offensive weapon in a public place, and abetting the offence of possession of offensive weapons.

He has been remanded at the Institute of Mental Health for psychiatric observation, and will return to court later this month.

The police earlier said that at about 9.10pm on Monday, they received a call about a man who was allegedly armed with a knife.

The man was "shouting and looking for someone at Bukit Batok West Avenue 8". The police responded to the call and arrested the man.

During the engagement with the police, the man allegedly pulled out a knife from under his T-shirt and threw it towards one of the officers, purportedly hit the officer's right cheek.

"Preliminary investigations do not suggest the incident to be an act of terror," the police said on Tuesday.

If found guilty of voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant from his duty, Goh could be jailed for up to seven years, fined or caned.

Possession of an offensive weapon in a public place carries a jail term of up to three years and caning of not less than six strokes. The penalty for abetment of this offence is the same. CNA