PUBLIC PROSECUTOR v DAM

[2023] SGHC 265 High Court (General Division) 19 September 2023 HC/CC 30/2022

5 cases cited Cited by 3 cases

Key facts

Court	High Court (General Division)
Decided	19 September 2023
Judge	Aedit Abdullah
Charges / claim	Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure and Sentencing
Counsel	Acacia Legal LLC, Attorney-General's Chambers, Ramesh Tiwary, Withers KhattarWong LLP, Asran Abdul Samad, Harjeet Kaur Dhaliwal, Norine Tan Yan Ling, Phoebe Tan Hern Hwei, Ramesh Chandr Tiwary, Si Hoe Tat Chorng, Wong Woon Kwong

Source: [2023] SGHC 265, High Court (General Division), decided 19 September 2023 — eLitigation. Updated 10 July 2026.

Catchwords

Criminal Law — Offences — Rioting Criminal Law — Offences — Culpable homicide Criminal Procedure and Sentencing — Sentencing Criminal Law — Statutory offences — Misuse of Drugs Act Criminal Law — Statutory offences — Children and Young Persons Act

Practice Areas

Criminal Law Criminal Procedure and Sentencing

Judges (1)

Aedit Abdullah Delivered

Counsel (11)

Acacia Legal LLC Firm Attorney-General's Chambers Firm Ramesh Tiwary Firm Withers KhattarWong LLP Firm

Asran Abdul Samad Counsel for the prosecution

Harjeet Kaur Dhaliwal Counsel for the accused

Norine Tan Yan Ling Counsel for the prosecution

Phoebe Tan Hern Hwei Counsel for the prosecution

Ramesh Chandr Tiwary Counsel for the accused Si Hoe Tat Chorng Counsel for the accused Wong Woon Kwong Counsel for the prosecution

Parties (2)

Public Prosecutor Prosecution

DAM Accused

Case Significance

Public Prosecutor v DAM [2023] SGHC 265 comprises the sentencing remarks of Aedit Abdullah J in the General Division of the High Court, delivered on 19 September 2023 in Criminal Case No 30 of 2022. The accused pleaded guilty to killing his 2½-year-old daughter, Umaisyah, by forcefully slapping her face multiple times and failing to provide medical aid, and admitted committing child abuse against his stepson by hitting him with a belt, hanger and hand, and punching and slapping him. He also pleaded guilty to rioting with several others in the middle of a road and to consuming the controlled drug methamphetamine, with five other charges taken into consideration; the catchwords span culpable homicide, rioting, and offences under the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Children and Young Persons Act.

Summary

In sentencing remarks, the High Court sentenced the accused, DAM, who pleaded guilty to charges including culpable homicide for killing his 2½-year-old daughter Umaisyah by slapping her and failing to provide medical aid, child abuse of his stepson, rioting, and consumption of methamphetamine, with five further charges taken into consideration. The court held the sentences should run consecutively given the persistent criminality and multiple victims. The total sentence imposed was 21½ years' imprisonment and 18 strokes of the cane.

What was Public Prosecutor v DAM [2023] SGHC 265 about?

It set out the sentencing remarks of Aedit Abdullah J, delivered on 19 September 2023, after the accused pleaded guilty to killing his 2½-year-old daughter Umaisyah, abusing his stepson, rioting, and consuming methamphetamine, with five further charges taken into consideration.

What offences did the accused plead guilty to in [2023] SGHC 265?

The accused pleaded guilty to culpable homicide of his 2½-year-old daughter Umaisyah, child abuse of his stepson, rioting in the middle of a road, and consuming the controlled drug methamphetamine, spanning the Penal Code, Children and Young Persons Act and Misuse of Drugs Act.