KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 5 ― Condemned to hang for the murder of a China national tomorrow, Malaysian Kho Jabing has gained precious extra time after he was granted a stay of execution today after his lawyer filed an appeal with officials in Singapore.
The temporary reprieve for the 31-year-old Miri native was announced by the Malaysian unit of Amnesty International on social media just minutes ago.
“Good news! Kho Jabing will not be executed tomorrow 6 Nov 2015,” the group said on its Twitter account @@AmnestyMy.
Anti-execution activist Kirsten Han, who has been campaigning actively to save the Sarawakian’s life, told Malay Mail Online however that the stay of execution did not specify a time.
“A stay of execution has been granted. Not sure for how long yet. This is a stay so that the court can hear the lawyer's case,” the co-founder of We Believe in Second Chances said in a text message.
Jabing left for Singapore in 2007 searching for better economic opportunities and was hired as a labourer there.
He was first convicted and sentenced to death in 2010 for the murder of China national Cao Ruyin, 40.
When amendments to the mandatory death penalty came into force in 2013, however, Jabing was deemed eligible to apply for resentencing; his sentenced was later commuted to life imprisonment and 24 strokes of the cane by the Singapore High Court.
However, a 3-2 decision at the Singapore Court of Appeal last January after the prosecution appealed sent Jabing back to death row.
Jabing’s sister, Jumai, has come out openly to plead for her brother’s life.
