Indian-born drug dealer Nagaenthran K. Dharmalingam Death penalty appeal hearing on January 24 in Singapore

Singapore: Indian-origin drug dealer arrested in 2009 with a stockpile of heroin. (File)

Singapore:

According to media reports, Indian-born drug dealer Nagaenthran K. Dharmalingam will appeal his execution to be heard by a panel of five judges from the Supreme Court of Singapore on January 24. .

Nagaenthran, 33, of Indian descent and Malaysian nationality, is appealing the High Court’s decision to deny him permission to begin retrial proceedings to challenge the death sentence.

The Straits Times reports the appeal will be heard by a panel that includes Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon and judges Andrew Phang, Judith Prakash, Belinda Ang and Chao Hick Tin, The Straits Times reported on Friday.

Represented by attorney M. Ravi, Nagaenthran argued that he did not have enough mental health to be considered a regular drug dealer. He even asked the court to have him examined by a panel of psychiatrists.

Nagaenthran was arrested in 2009 with a pack of heroin strapped to his lap. He was found guilty of trafficking 42.72g of heroin in 2010 and sentenced to death, followed by a mandatory sentence.

The newspaper said appeals against his conviction and conviction were dismissed in 2011.

In 2015, he applied for a re-sentence to life in prison after the law was changed to allow for an alternative punishment. However, the high court upheld his death sentence in 2017 after considering the opinions of four psychologists.

Last year, Nagaenthran made an 11th hour attempt to challenge his impending execution on November 10th – again pleading for mental disabilities. However, on the day of appeal on November 9, Nagaenthran tested positive for COVID-19. The three-judge panel then granted his stay for execution.

During this interim period, the hearing was further delayed after his lawyer, Ravi – also of Indian descent – was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. The Law Society of Singapore (LawSoc) forced Mr. Ravi to take a leave of absence from December 2 to January 13. Mr. Ravi has now returned to practice.

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