Public Prosecutor v. Muhammad Alif bin Ab Rahim: Rape and Sexual Assault Sentencing
In Public Prosecutor v. Muhammad Alif bin Ab Rahim, the High Court of Singapore sentenced Muhammad Alif bin Ab Rahim for aggravated rape and sexual assault by penetration of a 13-year-old victim. The court, presided over by See Kee Oon J, considered several aggravating factors, including the victim's age, the violence used, and the accused's lack of remorse. The court ultimately sentenced the accused to 28 years' imprisonment and 24 strokes of the cane, with the sentence backdated to the date of arrest on October 25, 2017.
1. Case Overview
1.1 Court
General Division of the High Court1.2 Outcome
Accused sentenced to 28 years' imprisonment and 24 strokes of the cane.
1.3 Case Type
Criminal
1.4 Judgment Type
Grounds of Decision
1.5 Jurisdiction
Singapore
1.6 Description
Muhammad Alif bin Ab Rahim was sentenced for aggravated rape and sexual assault of a 13-year-old victim, highlighting serious aggravating factors.
1.7 Decision Date
2. Parties and Outcomes
| Party Name | Role | Type | Outcome | Outcome Type | Counsels |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Prosecutor | Prosecution | Government Agency | Judgment for Prosecution | Won | Gregory Gan of Attorney-General’s Chambers Chong Kee En of Attorney-General’s Chambers David Khoo of Attorney-General’s Chambers |
| Muhammad Alif Bin Ab Rahim | Defendant | Individual | Convicted and Sentenced | Lost |
3. Judges
| Judge Name | Title | Delivered Judgment |
|---|---|---|
| See Kee Oon | Judge | Yes |
4. Counsels
| Counsel Name | Organization |
|---|---|
| Gregory Gan | Attorney-General’s Chambers |
| Chong Kee En | Attorney-General’s Chambers |
| David Khoo | Attorney-General’s Chambers |
| Gloria James-Civetta | Gloria James-Civetta & Co |
4. Facts
- The victim was 13 years old when the offences were committed.
- The accused was an acquaintance of the victim, known as "uncle."
- The offences occurred at Kallang Riverside Park on October 24, 2017.
- The victim was a virgin prior to the offences.
- The accused raped and sexually penetrated the victim anally, orally, and digitally.
- The victim struggled and cried but was subdued by the accused.
- The accused threatened the victim not to tell anyone about the incident.
5. Formal Citations
- Public Prosecutor v Muhammad Alif bin Ab Rahim, Criminal Case No 23 of 2019, [2021] SGHC 115
6. Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Offences committed at Kallang Riverside Park | |
| Accused arrested | |
| Accused examined by Dr Tan Ming Yee Giles | |
| Accused examined by Dr Tan Ming Yee Giles | |
| Accused examined by Dr Tan Ming Yee Giles | |
| Dr Tan's report issued | |
| Victim impact statement prepared | |
| Hearing date | |
| Accused pleaded guilty | |
| Judgment date |
7. Legal Issues
- Rape
- Outcome: Accused found guilty of rape.
- Category: Substantive
- Sexual Assault by Penetration
- Outcome: Accused found guilty of sexual assault by penetration.
- Category: Substantive
- Sentencing
- Outcome: Accused sentenced to 28 years' imprisonment and 24 strokes of the cane.
- Category: Procedural
8. Remedies Sought
- Criminal Prosecution
- Imprisonment
- Caning
9. Cause of Actions
- Rape
- Sexual Assault by Penetration
10. Practice Areas
- Criminal Law
11. Industries
- No industries specified
12. Cited Cases
| Case Name | Court | Affirmed | Citation | Jurisdiction | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ng Kean Meng Terence v Public Prosecutor | Court of Appeal | Yes | [2017] 2 SLR 449 | Singapore | Cited for the sentencing framework for rape cases with aggravating factors. |
| Pram Nair v Public Prosecutor | Court of Appeal | Yes | [2017] 2 SLR 1015 | Singapore | Cited for the sentencing framework for sexual assault by penetration cases with aggravating factors. |
| BPH v Public Prosecutor and another appeal | Court of Appeal | Yes | [2019] 2 SLR 764 | Singapore | Cited for the sentencing framework for sexual assault by penetration cases with aggravating factors. |
13. Applicable Rules
| Rule Name |
|---|
| No applicable rules |
14. Applicable Statutes
| Statute Name | Jurisdiction |
|---|---|
| Criminal Procedure Code (Cap 68, 2012 Rev Ed) s 307(1) | Singapore |
15. Key Terms and Keywords
15.1 Key Terms
- Rape
- Sexual assault by penetration
- Aggravated rape
- Kallang Riverside Park
- Victim impact statement
- Sentencing framework
- Aggravating factors
- Mitigating factors
15.2 Keywords
- Rape
- Sexual assault
- Sentencing
- Criminal law
- Singapore
- High Court
17. Areas of Law
| Area Name | Relevance Score |
|---|---|
| Criminal Law | 95 |
| Rape | 95 |
| Offences | 90 |
| Sexual assault | 90 |
| Criminal Procedure | 80 |
| Sentencing | 80 |
| Penal Code | 70 |
| Women’s Charter | 30 |
16. Subjects
- Criminal Law
- Sentencing