Criminal Procedure Code 2010 - Singapore Statutes Online

Division 2 — Sentence of caning

Execution of sentence of caning forbidden in certain cases

325.—(1) The following persons shall not be punished with caning:

(a)	women;
(b)	men who are more than 50 years of age at the time of infliction of the caning;
(c)	men sentenced to death whose sentences have not been commuted.

(2) Subject to any other written law, if a person is convicted of one or more offences punishable with caning (called in this section the relevant offences) but the person cannot be caned because subsection (1)(a) or (b) applies, the court may, in addition to any other punishment to which that person has been sentenced, impose a term of imprisonment of not more than 12 months in lieu of the caning which it could, but for this section, have ordered in respect of the relevant offences.

(3) A court may impose a term of imprisonment under subsection (2) even though the aggregate of such term and the imprisonment term imposed for any of the relevant offences exceeds the maximum term of imprisonment prescribed for any of those offences.

(4) A Magistrate’s Court or District Court may impose a term of imprisonment under subsection (2) even though the aggregate sentence of imprisonment (comprising the term of imprisonment imposed under subsection (2) and the combined terms of imprisonment imposed by the court in respect of the relevant offences) exceeds the limits prescribed by section 306.

(5) The power of a court to impose the additional term of imprisonment under subsection (2) does not apply in relation to any offence which is committed before 2 January 2011.

Place for executing sentence of caning

326. Where a person is sentenced to caning only or where the sentence of caning cannot reasonably be carried out before the release of the person under any sentence of imprisonment, the court must, on the application of the Public Prosecutor, authorise the detention of the person for as long as is reasonably necessary for carrying out the sentence of caning at the place and time that the court directs.

Time of executing sentence of caning

327.—(1) Where an accused is sentenced to caning in addition to imprisonment, the caning must not be inflicted —

(a)	until after the expiry of the time within which notice of appeal may be given under this Code, or any extension of time which may be permitted under this Code; or
(b)	if notice is so given, until after the determination of the appeal.

(2) The caning must be inflicted as soon as practicable after the time prescribed in subsection (1) has expired.

Limit on number of strokes

328.—(1) Despite any provision of this Code or any other law to the contrary, where an accused is sentenced at the same sitting for 2 or more offences punishable by caning (called in this section the relevant offences), the aggregate sentence of caning imposed by the court in respect of the relevant offences must not exceed the specified limit.

(2) Subject to any other written law, where an accused would but for subsection (1) have been sentenced to an aggregate sentence of caning which exceeds the specified limit, the court may impose a term of imprisonment of not more than 12 months in lieu of all such strokes which exceed the specified limit.

(5) The power of a court to impose the additional term of imprisonment under subsection (2) does not apply in relation to any offence which is committed before 2 January 2011.

(6) In this section, the specified limit is 24 strokes in the case of an adult and 10 strokes in the case of a juvenile.

Mode of executing sentence of caning

329.—(1) The Minister may make rules to prescribe the mode of carrying out the sentence of caning.

(2) Caning is to be inflicted on such part of the person as the Minister from time to time generally directs.

(3) The rattan must not be more than 1.27 centimetres in diameter.

(4) In the case of a juvenile, caning is to be inflicted with a light rattan.

Caning not to be carried out by instalments

330.—(1) A sentence of caning must not be executed in instalments.

(2) The maximum number of strokes of the cane that can be inflicted on the offender at any one time is 24 strokes for an adult and 10 strokes in the case of a juvenile.

Medical officer’s certificate required

331.—(1) The punishment of caning may be inflicted only if a medical officer is present and certifies that the offender is in a fit state of health to undergo such punishment.

(2) If, during the execution of a sentence of caning, the medical officer certifies that the offender is not in a fit state of health to undergo the rest of the sentence, the caning must be stopped.

Procedure if punishment cannot be inflicted under section 331

332.—(1) Where a sentence of caning is wholly or partially prevented from being carried out under section 331, the offender must be kept in custody until the court that passed the sentence can revise it.

(2) Subject to any other written law, that court may —

(a)

remit the sentence; or

(b)

sentence the offender instead of caning, or instead of as much of the sentence of caning as was not carried out, to imprisonment of not more than 12 months, which may be in addition to any other punishment to which the offender has been sentenced for the offence or offences in respect of which the court has imposed caning (called in this section the relevant offences).

[Act 31 of 2023 wef 31/12/2024]

(3) A court may impose a term of imprisonment under subsection (2)(b) even though the aggregate of such term and the imprisonment term imposed for any of the relevant offences exceeds the maximum term of imprisonment prescribed for any of those offences.

(4) A Magistrate’s Court or District Court may impose a term of imprisonment under subsection (2)(b) even though the aggregate sentence of imprisonment (comprising the term of imprisonment imposed under subsection (2)(b) and the combined terms of imprisonment imposed by the court in respect of the relevant offences) exceeds the limits prescribed by section 306.

(5) The power of a court to impose the additional term of imprisonment under subsection (2)(b) does not apply in relation to any offence which is committed before 2 January 2011.

Search within Legislation