Mentally unsound man, 90, who killed wife given notional 5-year jail term

A 90-year-old man with dementia was sentenced to a notional five-year prison term for brutally killing his 74-year-old wife in Singapore. Justice Hoo Sheau Peng considered medical reports that stated Ridawi Morsudin was unfit to stand trial or plead guilty due to his severe brain condition and inability to make his defense. The court also noted that Ridawi was unlikely to ever recover his mental capabilities.

He appeared via video link from a Changi prison complex while frail and did not address the court. The judge acknowledged low reoffending risk due to Ridawi's extensive care needs and compared previous cases involving reality-altering conditions that usually resulted in six to nine-year sentences. She deemed a two to three-year sentence inadequate, as Ridawi had previously demonstrated the ability to commit a forceful and brutal attack on his wife.

The case is believed to be the first since amendments to Singapore's unsoundness-of-mind regime took effect in 2025, requiring courts to specify the notional prison term an accused would face if convicted. Ridawi's lawyer argued for a shorter sentence, citing his advanced age, deteriorating health, and low reoffending risk, but the judge maintained a five-year notional period. Pending the minister's decision, Ridawi remains remanded at the Complex Medical Centre.