But his visit turned into a nightmare for his ex-colleagues when he became violent, stabbed an ex-colleague and bound and gagged six others.

On Wednesday, Eng Yew Kia, 40, was given 16 months in jail and three strokes of the cane for the Jan 22 incident.

At about 8.30am that day, he went to Hock Ann Metal Scaffolding, where he had worked in sales for more than two years until he quit last September.

He claimed that he wanted to present the hamper to the company's partner Loke Kok Keong, 42, and its director Wilson Ong, 31, since they took 'good care of him' when he was working there.

When both men turned up for work, they went straight into handling work matters, so Eng chatted with his former colleagues to while away the time.

One of them, Mr Chew Guan Teck - to whom Eng owed $18,000 - approached him for a confirmation that the money would be paid back that evening.

When Eng replied that he would honour his promise this time - after having failed to return the money by the end of last year - 28-year-old Mr Chew returned to his desk.

Eng, who became agitated because he felt Mr Chew was 'pestering' him, took out two knives from his bag and stabbed the younger man in his back.

A terrified Mr Chew retreated to a corner in the office.

Read the full report in Thursday's edition of The Straits Times.