90-year-old man unfit to stand trial for wife’s killing given five-year notional jail term
An autopsy noted at least 34 distinct slash and stab wounds on the victim's body.
In a case that came to light on August 28, a 90-year-old man, Ridawi Morsudin, was deemed unfit to stand trial for the murder of his wife in their Bukit Panjang flat back in 2024. The High Court judge imposed a five-year notional imprisonment period, which will be forwarded to the Law Minister for further decision on whether Ridawi should be placed in a psychiatric institution, another form of safe custody, or given a conditional release.
The judge justified this period by citing the case of Kong Peng Yee, who received six years for a similar incident in 2016. Ridawi's cognitive decline was evident in 2022, with issues such as loss of recognition, increased aggression, and disorientation, leading him to be hospitalized and placed in a daycare center for dementia patients.
Despite being discharged in April 2024, his condition remained worsened, culminating in the brutal murder of his 74-year-old wife, Aminah Abdul, on June 4, 2024. The evidence points to at least 34 distinct slash and stab wounds on her body, with a resulting death from sharp force injuries to the head, neck, chest, and other areas.
Written by urgent.news from Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
