Cheng Guoyuan slashed wife with cleaver in public, leaving her blind and disfigured
A man who brutally attacked his wife with a cleaver on a public street near Beach Road, Singapore, in 2022 has been sentenced to 19 years in jail and eight strokes of the cane. The attack left the victim permanently disfigured and partially disabled, shocking the nation when videos went viral online.
Planned Assault Over Personal Conflict
The attacker, 49-year-old Chinese national Cheng Guoyuan, pleaded guilty on May 20, 2025, to one count of attempted murder. On June 3, he was sentenced to 19 years in jail and eight strokes of the cane. The court heard that Cheng flew to Singapore in April 2022 to confront his wife, Ms Han Hongli, after she discovered he had committed an undisclosed act against her daughter from a previous marriage.
Fearing exposure, Cheng demanded that Ms Han remain silent about the incident. When she refused, he planned the assault, bringing a cleaver from his workplace and drafting notes in WeChat as justification for the attack.
Shocking Public Violence
On April 14, 2022, at around 5:30 PM, Cheng attacked Ms Han in a back alley between Liang Seah Street and Middle Road, outside her workplace. Witnesses reported him saying, “If I am not living well, you should not think about living,” before slashing her repeatedly with a cleaver.
The attack left Ms Han nearly losing her left hand, blind in one eye, and disfigured. When the cleaver blade broke, Cheng obtained another from a nearby restaurant and resumed his pursuit, continuing the assault until bystanders intervened by throwing objects. Police finally subdued Cheng with a taser at the scene.
Court Acknowledges Viciousness but Stops Short of Life Sentence
Justice Audrey Lim described the assault as “vicious and cruel,” emphasizing the calculated premeditation involved. Despite the prosecution’s call for life imprisonment and up to 12 strokes of the cane, the court imposed 19 years in jail and eight strokes, rejecting the argument that public disquiet alone should influence sentencing severity.
A Life Shattered
Ms Han spent over 18 months recovering from the severe injuries, which included a blinded left eye, loss of the tip of a finger, and permanent impairment of both arms. The trauma extended beyond the physical—she suffered emotional distress and suicidal ideation in the aftermath.
Cheng’s defense had argued for a lighter sentence based on his clean record and emotional stress, but the court maintained that the brutality and persistence of the attack outweighed those considerations.
Renewed Focus on Domestic Abuse and Bystander Courage
The case highlights ongoing issues around domestic violence, emotional manipulation, and the dangers of unresolved conflict. It also underscored the importance of public courage, as bystanders played a critical role in halting the attack and enabling Ms Han survive.
Singapore’s legal response sends a strong message against gender-based and domestic violence, with the court emphasizing premeditation and severity over emotional justifications.
The Beach Road slashing case has sparked a broader reckoning with the realities of domestic abuse and the need for proactive intervention. For communities in both Singapore and neighboring regions, it’s a stark reminder of the hidden threats within families and the urgent need for support systems to protect survivors and hold aggressors accountable.
Sources: Must Share (2025) , Straits Times (2025)
Keywords: Beach Road Slashing, Cheng Guoyuan Sentencing, Attempted Murder Singapore, Domestic Abuse, Justice Audrey Lim, Cleaver Attack
