Kuala Lumpur: The Singapore High Court granted the stay of execution for Malaysian K. Datchinamurthy (pic), who was supposed to be executed on Friday, April 29, just two days after the execution of another Malaysia Nagaenthran Dharmalingam.
According to Singapore lawyer M. Ravi, the stay was allowed “pending the outcome of the hearing of his prison correspondence misconduct legal challenge to be heard on May 20.”
“Datch (Datchinamurthy) was supposed to be hanged tomorrow,” said M Ravi in his latest update on Facebook.
Datchinamurthy, 36, was charged with trafficking 44.96gm of diamorphine into Singapore in 2011 and sentenced to death in 2015, while Nagaenthran was sentenced to death in 2010 for trafficking 42.72g heroin in 2009 into Singapore which is known to have among the world’s toughest narcotics laws.
His family had recently received notice that his execution was scheduled for April 29. Singapore authorities defended the decision to execute Nagaenthran.
His lawyers and activists have said Nagaenthran’s IQ was found to be 69, a level recognised as an intellectual disability.
But Singapore’s Central Narcotics Bureau said in a statement his actions were “a deliberate, purposeful and calculated decision”, and reiterated court findings that “he knew what he was doing”.
The coffin of Nagaenthran
The city-state’s government says the death penalty is a deterrent against drug trafficking and most of its citizens support capital punishment.
In IPOH, it was a sombre mood at the family home of Nagaenthran. The deceased’s sister, Sarmila Dharmalingam, 36, said the Singaporean public prosecutor was more concerned with questioning how their mother was able to file a last-ditch appeal that was heard only a day before the execution.
Sarmila said she met her brother last on Sunday, recalling that he had become more humble after serving years in Singaporean prison.
“The atmosphere was totally different. We were sad when we met him and talked some personal matters.
“We also bought him some clothes which he wore during the photoshoot before the execution.
“The clothes are still with us now and we can still feel his smell on the clothes,” she said.
