Man who held woman at knifepoint in Yishun tested positive for controlled drugs

Nadine Chua
The Straits Times
Jan 10, 2022

The man who allegedly held a 60-year-old woman at knifepoint was, on Tuesday, charged with possessing an offensive weapon in a public place.

Mohamed Faizal Mohamed Ariff’s case was heard at around 10.30am in the Court Crime Registry Chambers, in a hearing not open to the public.

Mohamed, 42, is being remanded at the Institute of Mental Health for medical examination.

He was arrested on Monday after allegedly holding a woman at knifepoint at Block 108 Yishun Ring Road.

The police had received a call for assistance at around 7.35am, and when officers arrived at the scene, they saw a man holding a knife to a woman’s neck.

The officers spoke to him as he continued holding the woman at knifepoint and moved about 50m to a coffee shop. The officers later disarmed and arrested him.

The whole episode lasted about 20 minutes.

The woman suffered an abrasion on her right chin. The knife was seized.

Preliminary investigations by the Central Narcotics Bureau found that the man’s urine tested positive for controlled drugs.

Investigations are ongoing, including whether suspected drug-related offences were committed.

Videos of the incident that were posted on Facebook showed officers from the Singapore Police Force Emergency Response Team (ERT) at the scene, in bulletproof vests and armed with sub-machine guns.

The ERT is a specialised tactical unit whose officers are equipped with tactical and counter-assault skills to respond to terror attacks and cases that involve firearms and dangerous weapons, such as knives.

Those convicted of possessing an offensive weapon in public places can be jailed for up to three years and caned.