By now, you’ve probably seen the horrifying video of a man wielding a chopper and slashing a woman at Beach Road.
And if you haven’t, here’s the clip for you.
The incident, which took place on Thursday (14 April) afternoon, involved Cheng Guoyuan, who is 46 years old. The victim is his 41-year-old wife, who was apparently begging for her life as Cheng attacked her viciously.
In the video, many passers-by can be seen throwing various large objects, such as crates and road signs at him in an attempt to stop Cheng from attacking his wife further. The passers-by were mostly staff from nearby establishments, such as Zhong Hua Steamboat restaurant and Samurai BBQ.
The police were alerted to the incident at around 5.30pm. Officers tasered and arrested the man after they arrived at the scene.
The woman was later conveyed to the hospital while still conscious.
Assailant Charged with Attempted Murder
Just today (16 April), Cheng, a Chinese national, appeared in court and was charged with attempting to murder his wife.
He underwent an operation for an injury in the morning, and thus appeared in court via video link from Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) in a hospital bed.
Apart from that, he allegedly injured his wrists and neck with the chopper during the incident as well.
In the video footage, Cheng was accompanied by an investigation officer. He did not speak or move at all throughout the hearing, and only nodded his head when the judge questioned him.
After being discharged from TTSH, Cheng will be remanded and undergo psychiatric assessment.
He is expected to return to court on 6 May.
If convicted of attempted murder, Cheng is facing life imprisonment, up to 20 years’ jail with a fine, or both.
Couple Were Estranged
The Straits Times spoke to restaurant staff in the vicinity on the day of the attack (14 April) and found out that the victim had been working at Chong Qing (Origin) Steamboat at Beach Road for approximately a year.
Some also knew the victim personally, and mentioned that the couple were estranged.
The couple also have two children, a boy and a girl.
Featured Image: Facebook (Farouk Hakim)
