SINGAPORE, Aug 22 — A man who stabbed a priest during communion at St Joseph’s Church in November 2024 has been sentenced to four years and three months’ jail and nine strokes of the cane.
Basnayake Keith Spencer, 38, pleaded guilty to voluntarily causing grievous hurt and carrying multiple weapons in public without lawful purpose, CNA reported. He stabbed Father Christopher Lee Kwong Heng in the mouth with a foldable knife while queuing for communion on Nov 9, 2024, in front of hundreds of parishioners during a children’s mass. The priest sustained injuries to his mouth, tongue, and upper lip, requiring surgery and extensive post-operative care.
Stabbing Priest
Deputy Public Prosecutor Xu Si Jia described the incident as a “brazen and wholly unprovoked assault” that “struck at the heart of the sensibilities of the public.” The court heard Basnayake had consumed five nitrazepam tablets before the attack, triggering psychosis.
District Judge Shaiffudin Saruwan said the punishment must reflect the gravity of the offence, noting the priest was attacked “at the precise moment he was administering a sacred ritual and would’ve been entirely defenceless and unsuspecting.”
Basnayake has been in remand since Nov 11, 2024, and was denied bail due to public safety concerns.
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