SINGAPORE – After he heard a voice telling him to kill someone and commit suicide, a man armed himself with a knife and a claw hammer and went to Kallang Wave Mall to look for a target.
Chua Jing Yuan wandered around for close to an hour in the early hours of July 14, 2025, before randomly attacking a woman with the knife, slashing her neck and stabbing her in the chest. She survived.
On Nov 2, Chua, 27, was sentenced to 5½ years’ jail after he pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of attempted culpable homicide with hurt caused to Choong Wen Ting, who was then 29 years old.
Two charges for possessing offensive weapons in public were considered during sentencing.
Chua was originally charged with attempted murder.
He was later assessed to be suffering from major depressive disorder with psychotic features, which diminished his mental responsibility for his acts.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Grace Chua told the High Court on Nov 2 that Chua was first seen at Jurong Polyclinic in 2021 for anxiety.
He was referred to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital, where he was diagnosed with generalised anxiety disorder with obsessive compulsive symptoms.
Chua defaulted on his treatment after his last appointment in March 2023.
Over the next two years, his mental state deteriorated. He reported hearing a voice telling him to kill someone and to commit suicide by drinking bleach, said the prosecutor.
On July 13, 2025, Chua decided to act on the instructions of the voice, which also insisted that he dress in black.
He bought black clothing and shoes, a black backpack, black face masks, gloves, a bottle of bleach, a claw hammer and a kitchen knife.
Chua packed the items in the backpack and changed into his new clothes and shoes. He took a photo of where he stored his belongings so that his family could find them.
At about 12.30am on July 14, he arrived at Kallang Wave Mall and put on a face mask.
Meanwhile, the victim was having drinks with her boyfriend and an acquaintance at a bar in the mall.
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