SINGAPORE POLICE ARREST MAN FOR ALLEGEDLY ASSAULTING PRIEST

By Nur Ashikin Abdul Aziz

SINGAPORE, Feb 9 (Bernama) -- A local man has been arrested for allegedly assaulting a priest at the Church of the Holy Spirit on Upper Thomson Road here on Sunday morning.

The police said preliminary investigations revealed that the 22-year-old suspect, a regular churchgoer, allegedly assaulted the priest following the church service during the dispersal.

Police received a call for assistance at 10.35 am.

“The man was immediately detained by church security personnel. No weapon was found in his possession, and he was handed over to the responding police officers,” the statement said, adding that the priest did not sustain any visible injuries.

The man is being investigated for an offence of public nuisance. The police will be referring him to the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) for further assessment.

“We would like to remind the public to refrain from speculation as investigations are ongoing,” the police said.

Meanwhile, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore stated that the priest has been attended to by medics and is only suffering from slight swelling on his face.

“We ask everyone to remain calm, avoid speculation, and pray for the priest and the person involved in the incident,” according to a statement issued by the Archbishop’s Communications Office.

Last November, Father Christopher Lee, the Parish Priest of St Joseph’s Church, was attacked by a knife-wielding man while celebrating Mass.

The attacker, Singaporean Basnayake Keith Spencer, has since been charged in court with one count of voluntarily causing grievous hurt with a dangerous weapon.

-- BERNAMA