S'pore man, 47, challenges colleagues to duel with swords after they joked he was a freeloader

A 47-year-old man has been jailed eight months and three weeks after he fetched two swords from his flat and challenged two colleagues to a duel.

The man, Hong Weiping (transliterated), pleaded guilty to five charges including possession of a deadly weapon, attempting to cause hurt with a dangerous weapon, and committing a rash act causing hurt, according to Shin Min Daily News.

Another 10 charges were taken into consideration during sentencing.

It started with a joke about freeloading

On the evening of May 22, 2025, Hong was drinking with two colleagues at a coffee shop at Block 530 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10 from around 7pm.

After he had downed 10 beers, his two colleagues joked that he was only there for the free food and drinks. Hong took offence, got up, and went home.

The colleagues later called and asked him to return to the coffee shop. He told them he was already home, and suggested they meet downstairs at his block instead. They agreed.

Two swords, thrown on the ground

According to Shin Min, Hong took two swords from his flat and headed back downstairs.

At around 9:45pm, he spotted his two colleagues driving their vans into the carpark and approached them.

He threw both swords onto the ground and told them to each pick one up, saying he would fight them with his bare hands.

Neither got out of their vehicle.

Hong then picked the swords back up, walked over to the two vans, and struck each of them with the sword handles while shouting.

The two colleagues drove off, and he chased after them for a few metres with the swords before stopping and going home.

Four members of the public saw him wielding the two swords and immediately called the police.

Five swords and a katana at home

Investigations revealed that Hong was in illegal possession of five swords and a katana, all kept at his flat in Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1, per Shin Min.

Two days later, he threw chairs at a coffee shop

Shin Min reported that at around 7:30am on May 24, 2025, Hong caused another disturbance, this time at a coffee shop at Block 407 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10.

A man was walking past with his parents when Hong suddenly became agitated and threw a plastic chair, hitting the man in the mouth.

A coffee shop assistant who stepped in to help was hit in the head by another chair.

When the man's father and the assistant tried to stop him, Hong punched both of them.

A man responsible for looking after a nearby shrine came over to check, and Hong hurled abuse at him before throwing a chair that hit his arm.

Hong was arrested at the scene and taken to Woodlands Police Station, where he continued shouting and swearing at officers.