KUALA LUMPUR, April 28 — Another Malaysian convicted of drug trafficking in Singapore is set to have his legal bid to stay his scheduled execution tomorrow heard today, Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) said.
Datchinamurthy Kataiah, the Malaysian citizen who is scheduled to be executed at Singapore’s Changi Prison tomorrow, filed the application in court on his own via the prison, and the hearing is set to be heard at 9.30am today, via video conference, LFL’s chief coordinator, Zaid Malek said.
Datchinamurthy was convicted of trafficking 45g of diamorphine in the republic, which enforces among the toughest drug laws in the world.
“The application is by way of judicial review to prohibit Friday’s execution on grounds that it is unlawful to execute him while he still has a legal challenge pending which is fixed for hearing on May 20, 2022. It is unheard of for an execution to be carried out while the prisoner’s case is still ongoing in court.
“Datchinamurthy will be arguing his own case because he and his family have been unable to secure the services of a lawyer. Lawyers in Singapore are afraid to represent prisoners in these important legal challenges from death row because of fear of reprisals from the attorney general (AG) and the courts. Hence, Datchinamurty who is a layperson is forced to argue his own case in court, upon which his life will depend,” Zaid added.
Zaid criticised the situation in Singapore, lamenting that the denial of a fair legal process and representation by a lawyer to a Malaysian citizen facing imminent execution is shocking and unacceptable.
Datchinamurthy’s appeal comes on the heels of the execution of Nagaenthran Dharmalingam, 33, who was hanged yesterday, after being convicted of trafficking 42.72g of heroin into Singapore.
AFP on March 29 reported that Nagaenthran’s supporters had said he has an IQ of 69 — a level recognised as a disability — and his family argued he was coerced into committing the crime.
His case had attracted international attention, with Malaysia’s prime minister, a group of United Nations (UN) experts and British billionaire Richard Branson among those who called on Singapore to commute his death sentence.
