SINGAPORE – The attacker who stabbed a priest with a penknife at St Joseph’s Church in Upper Bukit Timah last Saturday (9 November) has been identified as Basnayake Keith Spencer. The suspect’s identity was reported by The Straits Times, which quoted churchgoers as saying that the man had been seen at the church, although he was not a regular visitor.
Police confirmed the identity of the perpetrator on Saturday night and stated that the suspect had a criminal record related to serious violence and drug abuse. Basnayake was previously convicted of intentionally causing grievous bodily harm in September 2019 and sentenced to one year in prison.
On the same night, Reverend Christopher Lee, who was the parish priest of the church, was stabbed during mass. The incident occurred during the communion celebration at the monthly children’s mass, where children perform tasks normally done by adults.
Several members of the congregation, including the Diocesan Emergency Response Team, participated in restraining the perpetrator before he was arrested by the police. Home Minister K Shanmugam confirmed that the perpetrator was a Singaporean man of Sinhalese descent who had previously declared himself a Christian to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA).
Based on preliminary investigations, the police stated that the perpetrator is suspected of acting alone and there is no indication that this is an act of terrorism. The police also asked the public to remain calm and not to speculate, as further investigations are being conducted to determine the motive behind this incident.
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In addition to the penknife, four other weapons were found on the perpetrator, who was not a regular visitor to St Joseph’s Church, according to the police. Basnayake will appear in court on Monday charged with intentionally causing grievous bodily harm with a dangerous weapon. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison, a fine, or flogging.
Police also plan to apply for a court order to detain Basnayake at the Mental Health Institute for psychiatric evaluation. The public is urged not to speculate on this incident, while further investigations are conducted by the authorities.
