A 49-year-old Singaporean man, Joel Ezekiel, has been arrested and charged after he posted a video on social media showing him wielding a samurai sword in public. The arrest led to the discovery and seizure of several weapons, including a butterfly knife, a flick knife, and a knuckle duster, along with drug paraphernalia.
The incident came to the attention of the police on October 28, 2023, when they received a report about the video posted on social media. The Singapore Police Force (SPF) took swift action to identify and apprehend the man.
In the video, Mr. Ezekiel said he wanted to check how sharp the sword was and then sliced the bottle in half as he swung it.
“On Oct 28, 2023, the police received a report of a video posted on social media showing a man wielding a samurai sword in public. Preliminary investigations revealed that the video was uploaded on the man’s social media page,” the Singapore Police Force (SPF) said in a news release on Sunday (Oct 29).
Mr. Ezekiel was arrested at his residential unit on York Hill, situated off Chin Swee Road. He is now facing charges related to the possession of weapons.
Possessing a scheduled weapon in a public place for purposes not considered lawful carries a maximum penalty of up to five years in jail and at least six strokes of the cane.
In a statement, the SPF reiterated their zero-tolerance stance on such brazen acts and emphasized their commitment to upholding the law. Investigations into the matter are ongoing.
CHARGED
Furthermore, the Central Narcotics Bureau is also looking into Mr. Ezekiel for suspected drug-related offenses, as drug paraphernalia was found during the police raid on his residence.
During his appearance in court on Monday, October 30, Joel Ezekiel was charged with possessing a knuckle duster without lawful purpose. He was remanded and appeared in court via video-link, covered with a blanket or towel, according to CNA.
The prosecution requested an adjournment for further investigations to be completed and sought bail of S$15,000 to be offered to Mr. Ezekiel. He will return to court in November for further proceedings.
If convicted under the Corrosive and Explosive Substances and Offensive Weapons Act for possessing a scheduled weapon, Joel Ezekiel could face a maximum sentence of up to five years in prison and at least six strokes of the cane, given that he is a first-time offender.
A repeat offender, on the other hand, may face a sentence ranging from two to eight years in prison, along with at least six strokes of the cane.
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