The first Japanese national to be sentenced to whiplash in Singapore has been confirmed.
A former Japanese hairdresser, 38, was convicted of 20 whiplash sentences in addition to 17 years and 6 months imprisonment for sexually assaulting a female university student. It was found that the man decided not to appeal.
According to the lawyer in charge, “‘We spoke to the defendant after the sentence has been handed down by the court about the advantages and disadvantages of an appeal. The advantage is that the sentence could be shortened and the disadvantage is that the sentence could be longer. Even if the sentence is shortened, it’s not likely to be significantly reduced. So, he made the final decision not to appeal.”
Flogging sentences in Singapore is known to be harsh. Before execution, they are also examined by a doctor to see if they can withstand the punishment.
According to the lawyer, the actual recipient of the whiplash sentence says that it’s quite scarring, so they can only sleep on their stomach for a month or two, but basically the rule is that the penalty is served in one day, and if the whiplash cannot be completed, the person is imprisoned instead. Most people endure as much as possible.
