Man, 50, to be charged with murder after knife attack on victim, 41, at Clementi HDB playground

Update on Oct. 22 at 10pm: An earlier version of this article reported that both men were involved in grassroots activities. The People's Association (PA) confirmed that the deceased was a grassroots volunteer, but said that the suspect is not a member of any PA grassroots organisation. This article has been updated accordingly.

---

A 50-year-old man will be charged with murder on Oct. 23 after he allegedly attacked a 41-year-old man with a knife at a playground near Block 311B Clementi Avenue 4 on Oct. 21 evening.

If convicted, the older man could face the death penalty, said the Singapore Police Force (SPF) in an Oct. 22 news release.

Police investigations are ongoing.

Accused arrested at the scene

The SPF and the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) told Mothership they received a call for assistance regarding the incident at around 5pm on Oct. 21.

Upon police's arrival, officers found the 41-year-old man lying unconscious at the void deck.

He was conveyed unconscious to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital, where he subsequently passed away, according to SCDF.

The accused was arrested at the scene.

Allegedly chased after woman as well

Witnesses told Lianhe Zaobao that they saw the accused and the deceased engaging in a dispute at the ground floor of the HDB block at around 5pm.

The accused subsequently began chasing the deceased with a knife.

While the deceased had pushed away the accused at one point, the accused caught up to him and stabbed him, recounted the witnesses.

The witnesses added that the accused, still holding his knife, then began chasing a woman in red.

The woman escaped by seeking refuge at a preschool nearby, they shared.

A passerby told Mothership he tried to distract the assailant to help buy time for the woman to escape.

The accused tried to flee by car, but police officers stopped him with a police vehicle.

Armed officers subsequently arrived at the scene and subdued the man together, said the witnesses.

Accused & victim knew each other

According to The Straits Times, the victim was Winson Khoo, vice-chairman of the Trivelis Residents' Network.

The woman being chased by the accused is believed to be Khoo's wife.

Khoo was involved in grassroots activities at the network, and both men were familiar faces in the estate.

However, some residents told Zaobao that the accused "likes to argue with others" and often clashed with Khoo.

In an Oct. 21 statement, the police confirmed with Mothership that the two men are known to each other.

Related stories

Top images via Lianhe Zaobao