PP v Sundarti Supriyanto: Culpable Homicide Sentencing Considerations
In Public Prosecutor v Sundarti Supriyanto, the High Court of Singapore, presided over by Justice MPH Rubin, sentenced Sundarti Supriyanto to life imprisonment on 29 October 2004, after she was convicted on 24 September 2004, on a reduced charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder. The court took into consideration five other outstanding charges against the accused, including culpable homicide, mischief by fire, theft, and attempted theft. The court considered the nature of the offense and the injuries inflicted on the deceased when determining the sentence.
1. Case Overview
1.1 Court
High Court1.2 Outcome
Accused sentenced to life imprisonment.
1.3 Case Type
Criminal
1.4 Judgment Type
Grounds of Decision
1.5 Jurisdiction
Singapore
1.6 Description
Sundarti Supriyanto was convicted of culpable homicide and sentenced to life imprisonment. The court considered the nature of the offense and other outstanding charges.
1.7 Decision Date
2. Parties and Outcomes
| Party Name | Role | Type | Outcome | Outcome Type | Counsels |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Prosecutor | Prosecution | Government Agency | Sentence of life imprisonment imposed | Won | Eugene Lee of Deputy Public Prosecutors Aaron Lee of Deputy Public Prosecutors Jaswant Singh of Deputy Public Prosecutors |
| Sundarti Supriyanto | Accused | Individual | Life Imprisonment | Lost |
3. Judges
| Judge Name | Title | Delivered Judgment |
|---|---|---|
| MPH Rubin | Judge | Yes |
4. Counsels
| Counsel Name | Organization |
|---|---|
| Eugene Lee | Deputy Public Prosecutors |
| Aaron Lee | Deputy Public Prosecutors |
| Jaswant Singh | Deputy Public Prosecutors |
| Johan Ismail | Johan Ismail and Co |
| Muhamed Muzammil bin Mohd | Muzammil Nizam and Partners |
4. Facts
- The accused was convicted on a reduced charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
- The prosecution applied for five charges to be taken into consideration in sentencing.
- The accused admitted to the five charges and consented to them being taken into consideration.
- The accused had no prior criminal record.
- The accused inflicted injuries on the deceased and attempted to mask the offense.
- The accused ensured the safety of the deceased’s infant son from the fire.
5. Formal Citations
- Public Prosecutor v Sundarti Supriyanto (No 2), CC 19/2003, [2004] SGHC 244
- Public Prosecutor v Sundarti Supriyanto, , [2004] SGHC 212
6. Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Accused arrested | |
| Accused convicted on reduced charge | |
| Accused sentenced to life imprisonment |
7. Legal Issues
- Sentencing for Culpable Homicide
- Outcome: The court sentenced the accused to life imprisonment, considering the nature of the offense and other outstanding charges.
- Category: Substantive
- Related Cases:
- [1999] 2 SLR 288
- [1998] 2 SLR 345
- [2002] 3 SLR 199
- [2002] 3 SLR 149
- [2002] SGHC 259
- Consideration of Stood Down Charges in Sentencing
- Outcome: The court took five stood down charges into consideration in sentencing after the accused admitted to the charges and consented.
- Category: Procedural
8. Remedies Sought
- Custodial Sentence
9. Cause of Actions
- Culpable Homicide Not Amounting to Murder
- Mischief by Fire
- Theft
- Attempted Theft
10. Practice Areas
- Criminal Law
- Homicide
11. Industries
- No industries specified
12. Cited Cases
| Case Name | Court | Affirmed | Citation | Jurisdiction | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PP v Tan Kei Loon Allan | High Court | Yes | [1999] 2 SLR 288 | Singapore | Cited to show that there is no fixed benchmark sentence for cases of culpable homicide not amounting to murder under s 304(a) PC. |
| PP v Kwan Cin Cheng | High Court | Yes | [1998] 2 SLR 345 | Singapore | Cited as a case where the appellant was initially sentenced to ten years’ imprisonment, but on appeal, the sentence was enhanced to life imprisonment for culpable homicide. |
| PP v Ng Kwok Soon | High Court | Yes | [2002] 3 SLR 199 | Singapore | Cited as a case where the court meted out a sentence of life imprisonment in a case of culpable homicide under s 304(a) PC. |
| PP v Muhamad Hasik bin Sahar | High Court | Yes | [2002] 3 SLR 149 | Singapore | Cited as a case where the court meted out a sentence of life imprisonment in a case of culpable homicide under s 304(a) PC. |
| PP v Saminathan s/o Subramaniam | High Court | Yes | [2002] SGHC 259 | Singapore | Cited as a case where the court meted out a sentence of life imprisonment in a case of culpable homicide under s 304(a) PC. |
13. Applicable Rules
| Rule Name |
|---|
| No applicable rules |
14. Applicable Statutes
| Statute Name | Jurisdiction |
|---|---|
| Penal Code (Cap 224, 1985 Rev Ed) s 304(a) | Singapore |
| Penal Code (Cap 224, 1985 Rev Ed) s 436 | Singapore |
| Penal Code (Cap 224, 1985 Rev Ed) s 380 | Singapore |
| Penal Code (Cap 224, 1985 Rev Ed) s 379 | Singapore |
| Criminal Procedure Code (Cap 68, 1985 Rev Ed) s 178(2) | Singapore |
15. Key Terms and Keywords
15.1 Key Terms
- Culpable Homicide
- Life Imprisonment
- Stood Down Charges
- Mitigation Plea
- Sentencing
- Criminal Procedure Code
15.2 Keywords
- culpable homicide
- sentencing
- life imprisonment
- criminal law
- singapore
17. Areas of Law
| Area Name | Relevance Score |
|---|---|
| Criminal Law | 90 |
| Sentencing | 90 |
| Criminal Procedure | 90 |
| Culpable Homicide | 90 |
| Murder | 50 |
| Mitigation Plea | 40 |
| Theft | 40 |
| Mischief by Fire | 40 |
| Evidence | 30 |
| Attempted Theft | 30 |
| Personal Injury | 10 |
16. Subjects
- Criminal Law
- Sentencing
- Homicide