Singapore Apex Court rejects Nagaenthran's appeal

SINGAPORE - The Singapore Court of Appeal has just dismissed the application of Malaysian Nagaenthran K. Dharmalingam's appeal against his execution.

The Court delivered its verdict today after reserving its judgement on Nagaenthran's March 1 hearing.

In his Facebook update, counsel M Ravi informed that the "Court @considered the appeal an abuse of process and that international law does not apply.”

"Nagaenthran who is mentally disabled is due to be hanged possibly in the next few days,” Ravi wrote further.

Ravi has been providing technical assistance to Nagaenthran’s lawyer Violet Netto.

The hearing today was heard before a five-member panel comprising of Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon, and Justices Andrew Phang, Judith Prakash, Belinda Ang and Chao Hick Tin.

Apart from his appeal, his counsel Violet Netto also asked the court to exercise its powers to have him assessed by psychiatrists.

Hailing from Perak, 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.

Nagaenthran's case had drawn international attention.

On Nov 7, 2021, it was reported that Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob had written to his Singapore counterpart Lee Hsien Loong seeking leniency in this case.’

Meanwhile on Dec 3, Singapore President Halimah Yacob said he had been accorded full due process under the law.

Nagaenthran’s lawyers claim that he is intellectually disabled.

He was supposed to be hanged on Nov 10, 2021, but found temporary respite on Nov 9 after the court was told he had tested positive for Covid-19 when he appeared for a last-bid attempt against his death sentence. - BERNAMA