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SINGAPORE<\/span> \u2013 Cheng Guoyuan, who was sentenced to 19 years\u2019 jail and eight strokes of the cane in June <\/p>\n for viciously slashing his wife<\/p>\n <\/a> outside a row of restaurants in Beach Road, has been spared caning.<\/p>\n In a brief hearing on Nov 5, the prosecution told the High Court that Cheng, who had <\/p>\n pleaded guilty in May to a charge of attempted murder<\/p>\n <\/a>, was medically certified on Sept 9 to be permanently unfit for caning.<\/p>\n Details of Cheng\u2019s medical issues were not disclosed. He turned 50 on Sept 23.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Justice Audrey Lim remitted the caning sentence and did not impose any additional jail time.<\/p>\n 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. <\/p>\n 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. <\/p>\n In 2017, the High Court <\/p>\n ruled that extra jail time is not a must<\/p>\n <\/a> for those found unfit for caning.<\/p>\n In 2020, 29-year-old Chew Teng Wee, who was sentenced to 14 years\u2019 jail and 24 strokes of the cane for <\/p>\n robbing and raping a sex worker at knifepoint<\/p>\n <\/a>, was spared caning because of his heart condition.<\/p>\n He was given an additional nine months in jail. <\/p>\n In April 2024, a 44-year-old man who was sentenced to\u00a0<\/p>\n 34\u00bd years\u2019 jail and 12 strokes of the cane for <\/p>\n <\/a>abusing his two children, resulting in the death of his five-year-old daughter, was ordered to serve six more months\u2019 jail in lieu of caning.<\/p>\n His sentence was later increased to life imprisonment after he failed in his appeal for a reduced jail term.<\/p>\n