Singapore’s top court has officially dismissed Nagaenthran Dharmalingam’s appeal against the death sentence – formally bringing a close to the case which has been ongoing for years.
According to CNA, the 34-year-old Malaysian was sentenced to death in 2010 after he was found to have trafficked 42.72g of heroin into Singapore in 2009 by tying a bundle to his thigh.
His case also caught national attention, with Prime Minister Ismail Sabri appealing to Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to spare Nagaenthran from the gallows.
No more appeals
In response to the court’s decision, Nagaenthran’s ex-lawyer told The Guardian that he would not be lodging any more appeals and that the execution “could take place in days”.
Previously, he had lodged a last-ditch effort by arguing that executing a person with mental disabilities was against international law, adding that Nagaenthran had an IQ level of 69, thus preventing him from making informed decisions.
However, the Court of Appeal flatly rejected it, with Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon saying it had “no factual and legal basis” and added that legal rulings had revealed Nagaenthran was fully aware of what he was doing.
A family left inconsolable
Following the court’s decision, Nagaenthran’s sister Sarmila Dharmalingam told AFP that the family was “devastated by the court decision”.
“We are shocked by the court decision despite my brother … having a low IQ,” she said, adding that the case had been a “harrowing ordeal” for the family.
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