Convicted rapist exempted from caning, sentenced to additional 12 months’ jail instead

​Convicted rapist Riduan Rantau on Monday (Jun 27) was sentenced to an additional 12 months in jail after being exempted from caning. Last year, he was sentenced to 12 years’ jail and 18 strokes of the cane for the rape and robbery of a 34-year-old woman.

Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Christine Liu said prison authorities had found Riduan, 48, to be medically unfit for caning, due to a heart condition known as mitral valve prolapse.

DPP Liu on Monday urged the High Court to impose an additional 12-month jail term on Riduan in lieu of caning, pointing to the “brazen manner” in which Riduan had raped and robbed the victim in a public place, on the staircase landing of a block of flats.

Riduan, who worked as a cleaner, had spotted the woman drinking beer alone at Stirling Road on the evening of Oct 13, 2014. He lay in wait, and ambushed her as she got up to throw the cans of beer away. He then grabbed the petite woman from behind and dragged her to a staircase landing nearby.

The woman, who weighed just 28kg, screamed for help. She was unable to escape from Riduan, who at 64kg was 36kg heavier than her, court documents stated.

Riduan covered the victim’s mouth and emptied her pockets, robbing her of her NRIC, ez-link card and an ATM card, along with S$8.80 in cash, before raping her.

The pair were seen by two residents, one of whom called the police for help multiple times.

After the rape, Riduan used the stolen cash to buy beer, which he was drinking at a nearby bus stop when the victim found him. She demanded that he return her belongings, and he handed over her NRIC and ez-link and ATM cards, to which Riduan said was “good” of himself to do so, the court heard.

He was arrested the next day, wearing a t-shirt he had stolen to change into after the rape, so he would not be identified.

THREE MONTHS IS SUFFICIENT: DEFENCE

Defence lawyer Tang Jin Sheng said adding another three months to Riduan’s sentence would be sufficient.

Noting that Riduan was sentenced to six strokes of the cane for the rape offence and 12 strokes for robbery, Mr Tang suggested a three-month prison term ought to be imposed in place of the six strokes for rape, while the 12 strokes for robbery should be “remitted in full”.

Mr Tang cited the “low level of violence used” in the robbery, which yielded only S$8.80 – “very little” – and that Riduan had returned the items to her.

Justice Choo Han Teck, however, agreed with the prosecution, sentencing Riduan to an additional 12 months in jail, which is the maximum term that can be added to an offender’s sentence in the event that they are unfit for caning.