Woman who stabbed herself in stomach in Tampines to be charged with possession of offensive weapons

SINGAPORE — A 53-year-old woman who stabbed herself in the stomach in an incident outside St Hilda’s Secondary School will be charged on Wednesday (Sept 21) for the possession of offensive weapons in a public place.  

In a news release on Tuesday, the police said that two knives were seized from the woman after her arrest on Monday evening.

The woman was allegedly holding and waving a knife along Tampines Street 82 and the police received a call at about 6.30pm regarding this.

During the engagement with police officers, the woman allegedly “brandished” a knife at the officers and used the same knife to stab herself in the abdomen.

The police said that despite verbal commands for her to drop the knife, the woman purportedly disregarded the officers’ instructions.

She allegedly “placed the knife on her neck and threatened to harm herself further”.

An officer than used a taser on the woman, the police said.

She was eventually subdued by the police and arrested at the scene.

If found guilty of possessing offensive weapons, the woman may be jailed up to three years and get at least six strokes of the cane.

Under Singapore law, however, anyone above the age of 50 cannot be caned.

The police added that the woman will also be investigated by the Central Narcotics Bureau for suspected drug-related offences.

The police stressed that they have zero tolerance towards acts of violence that threaten the safety of the general public and public officers performing their duty.

“Offenders will be dealt with firmly in accordance with the law.”