SINGAPORE – Cheng Guoyuan, who was sentenced to 19 years’ jail and eight strokes of the cane in June

for viciously slashing his wife

outside a row of restaurants in Beach Road, has been spared caning.

In a brief hearing on Nov 5, the prosecution told the High Court that Cheng, who had

pleaded guilty in May to a charge of attempted murder

, was medically certified on Sept 9 to be permanently unfit for caning.

Details of Cheng’s medical issues were not disclosed. He turned 50 on Sept 23.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Koh Yi Wen said that after considering the circumstances, the prosecution will not be asking for an additional imprisonment term in lieu of caning.

Justice Audrey Lim remitted the caning sentence and did not impose any additional jail time.

Under the law, caning can be carried out only on male offenders below the age of 50 who are certified medically fit to undergo the punishment.

When a prisoner is found medically unfit to be caned, the court may remit the sentence of caning or impose an additional jail term of up to a year.

In 2017, the High Court

ruled that extra jail time is not a must

for those found unfit for caning.

In 2020, 29-year-old Chew Teng Wee, who was sentenced to 1...