Man with sword set to face more charges

Man with sword set to face more charges

A swordsmanship instructor who was charged with having a samurai sword on board an MRT train may face additional charges for using criminal force and abusive language.

Assistant Superintendent of Police Lam Peng Choy informed the court of this on Tuesday, when Chua Teck Choon's case came up for mention after his two-week remand at the Institute of Mental Health (IMH).

The police prosecutor asked for two weeks' adjournment.

Chua, who goes by the name of Peter and has identified himself on Facebook as a professional tattoo artist, told District Judge Kessler Soh that he had a licence for his weapon.

"It is currently with my mother," said the 39-year-old, who turned to look at his mother seated in the public gallery.

He is unrepresented by a lawyer.

Judge Soh told him to give whatever he had to support his defence to the investigation officer after he had made bail, which was set at $10,000. His passport has been impounded.

Chua was charged on Dec 17 with having the weapon without a lawful purpose at City Hall MRT station. The day before, dressed partly like a Japanese martial arts exponent, he had boarded a train carrying the sheathed sword.

Chua was later photographed wielding a drawn blade inside a train while the lunchtime crowd on board gave him a wide berth.

He was later arrested along Victoria Street near Bugis MRT station.

Outside the courtroom, Chua's mother, Madam Tan Geok Lan, 58, a cleaner working at a hawker centre, showed reporters her son's licence to import arms.

The licence issued by the Singapore Police Force stated that Chua had imported two samurai swords from Canada in March 2010.

Madam Tan said her son returned to Singapore a few years ago after spending nine years in Canada where he worked as a tattoo artist by day, and in the evenings, learnt Japanese martial art.

Chua will be back in court on Jan 14. If convicted of possessing an offensive weapon without lawful purpose, he could be jailed for up to three years and punished with not less than six strokes of the cane.

elena@sph.com.sg


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