Abdul Majeed Mohamed Riswan vs Hon. Attorney General – CA 39/2012-2013

In the case between Abdul Majeed Mohamed Riswan (Accused-Appellant) and the Hon. Attorney General (Respondent), the court addressed whether the 7-year sentence of rigorous imprisonment, fine, and compensation imposed for grave sexual abuse—based on the accused-appellant’s own plea—should be maintained or modified. It was held that, considering the accused’s age, the victim’s age, the consensual nature of the relationship, the delay in the complaint, the time already served, and related background events, a custodial sentence was not warranted. The sentence of 7 years’ rigorous imprisonment was set aside and replaced with 2 years’ rigorous imprisonment, suspended for 10 years, while the original fine and compensation were retained. The court reaffirmed the principle that sentencing must con