Dementia-Afflicted 90-Year-Old Man Given Five-Year Notional Imprisonment for Killing Wife in Singapore

A 90-year-old Singaporean man diagnosed with mixed dementia, who was found unfit to stand trial for killing his 74-year-old wife in their Bukit Panjang flat, has been given a five-year notional imprisonment period by the High Court, according to reports from The Straits Times and CNA.

Ridawi Morsudin faced a charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder for causing the death of his wife, Aminah Abdul, between 7 pm on June 4, 2024, and about 1 am the following day, as detailed in court documents. Medical reports stated that Ridawi is unlikely to regain fitness to stand trial due to the progressive nature of his severe cognitive impairment. Under Singapore’s criminal procedure, the High Court judge must report the case to the Law Minister, who holds the final authority to decide whether the accused will be confined in a psychiatric institution, placed in another location of safe custody, or granted a conditional release.

Judicial Reasoning and Precedent

In setting the five-year notional imprisonment period, Justice Hoo Sheau Peng specified that this figure serves as the upper limit of the confinement period the minister may order. According to The Straits Times, the judge considered the 2018 case of Kong Peng Yee, a 70-year-old man who was sentenced to six years’ jail after fatally slashing his wife during a psychotic episode in 2016.

Justice Hoo noted that six years would have been an appropriate starting point for Ridawi, but applied a one-year reduction after weighing medical assessments that showed he is at a low risk of reoffending and is now completely dependent on daily assistance. The defence had sought a shorter period of two to three years, arguing that his age and declining health rendered him incapable of assaulting anyone. However, Justice Hoo rejected that argument, pointing out that Ridawi was strong and dangerous while in a fit of delirium when he killed his wife at age 88. She emphasized that the legal requirement to prevent further crimes remains a priority.

Deterioration and the Discovery of the Incident

Court records show that Ridawi’s mental faculties began to noticeably deteriorate in 2022, during which he failed to recognize family members, grew more aggressive, and frequently wandered away and lost his way. Between 2023 and 2024, police responded to 10 incidents involving his disorientation. He was hospitalized in early 2024 and diagnosed with mixed dementia before being enrolled in a senior daycare center from which he was later discharged due to uncooperative behavior.

Following his discharge, his children took turns delivering meals to the flat, and a live-feed CCTV camera was installed in the living room without recording capabilities. According to investigations reported by The Straits Times, a family member delivered food at approximately 7 pm on June 4, 2024. Past midnight, Ridawi’s grandson checked the live feed and saw his grandmother on the floor in a pool of blood while his grandfather stood behind his recliner chair looking at her. The grandson rushed home, contacted emergency services, and heard Ridawi state, That person (is) no longer alive. It’s too late.

An autopsy revealed that Aminah Abdul sustained at least 34 distinct slash and stab wounds to her head, neck, and chest, alongside fractures to her skull, neck, spine, and ribs. Blood matching the victim was discovered on two pairs of scissors inside the flat as well as on the T-shirt Ridawi was wearing.

Ridawi remains remanded at the Changi Prison Complex Medical Centre while awaiting the final disposition order from the Law Minister.