Drug trafficker on Singapore death row granted clemency Although the capital sentence was "legally sound", the Cabinet recommended granting clemency

[socratesg]

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/sin...56?cid=internal_sharetool_iphone_15082025_cna



SINGAPORE: A convicted drug trafficker was spared the death penalty and given life imprisonment on Thursday (Aug 14) after he was granted a pardon by President Tharman Shanmugaratnam.

Tristan Tan Yi Rui, 33, was sentenced to death in 2023 after he was found guilty of possessing not less than 337.6g of methamphetamine for trafficking. His conviction and capital sentence were upheld by the Court of Appeal.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said on Friday that President Tharman had granted the pardon on the advice of the Cabinet.

In 1998, the late President Ong Teng Cheong commuted the death sentence of convicted murderer Mathavakannan Kalimuthu to life imprisonment. He was eventually released in 2012 after spending about 16 years in prison.

In 2018, in a case of clemency not involving a death row inmate, then President Halimah Yacob granted clemency to a man who was a teenager when he murdered the wife of Anthony Ler, who had himself plotted the crime. Ler was sentenced to death.

His accomplice was spared the gallows because of his age and was eventually released after being detained under what is known as the President’s pleasure for 17 years.

Justice Abdullah noted that while the prosecution did not show that Tan intended to traffic the drugs, the defence also failed to rebut the presumption of possession for the purpose of trafficking.

“The defence essentially relied on the argument that the accused had not intended to possess the drugs in the first place and had not known that the bundle contained methamphetamine, even if Hakam had indeed passed the bundle to him,” he said.

But as evidence showed that Tan had negotiated for the purchase of the drugs from Hari and had intended to and had in fact taken possession of the drugs at the Lok Yang area, it meant that the defence’s argument could not stand.

“The result was that the presumption applied, and thus the element of possession for the purpose of trafficking was made out,” Justice Abdullah said.

He found Tan’s role went beyond that of a courier, noting he had negotiated the purchase and handover of the drugs.

As Tan was not eligible for the alternative sentencing regime, which allows certain death-eligible drug offenders to be sentenced to life imprisonment and caning instead of the mandatory death penalty, and the amount of methamphetamine exceeded 250g, Justice Abdullah sentenced Tan to death.

Sg not escaping the stereotype

Wah sibei Heng ! Kope tio 免死金牌 ！


heart poems

 

[mgx-alander]

Life sentence is max 20 years and is back dated.

incorrect, the law have been changed

eligible for parole not equal auto release

 

[BBClone]

Presidential Pleasure

Judicial Mercy

65% voted for no iron in SG gahment, more monitior lizards please

Old Man Lee needs to rise from his grave during Chinese Ghost Festival

 

[OtterJoyful]

Life sentence is max 20 years and is back dated.

Who pay for this? Is it Tharman?

 

[ThisIsSparta]

edmwers should be happy

life imprisonment come out also close to/already senior citizen

then come out also cannot find job, become cleaner

then edmwers can jjww why the country make elderly become cleaners, without questioning what they did in their younger life to land them in such a state

 

[apple459721]

Who pay for this? Is it Tharman?

make them work, very cheap labour

1 day $10

can clean all spf,scdf,saf toilets & sweep floor.

no need hire cleaners anymore

 

[Kunkka]

edmwers should be happy

life imprisonment come out also close to/already senior citizen

then come out also cannot find job, become cleaner

then edmwers can jjww why the country make elderly become cleaners, without questioning what they did in their younger life to land them in such a state

I know of elderly cleaners who never committed crime

 

[OtterJoyful]

edmwers should be happy

life imprisonment come out also close to/already senior citizen

then come out also cannot find job, become cleaner

then edmwers can jjww why the country make elderly become cleaners, without questioning what they did in their younger life to land them in such a state

Wow. All cleaners are criminals by your account.

 

[huihong]

no wonder so many druggies nowadays, laws gone soft

 

[GoneNuts]

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/sin...56?cid=internal_sharetool_iphone_15082025_cna



SINGAPORE: A convicted drug trafficker was spared the death penalty and given life imprisonment on Thursday (Aug 14) after he was granted a pardon by President Tharman Shanmugaratnam.

Tristan Tan Yi Rui, 33, was sentenced to death in 2023 after he was found guilty of possessing not less than 337.6g of methamphetamine for trafficking. His conviction and capital sentence were upheld by the Court of Appeal.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said on Friday that President Tharman had granted the pardon on the advice of the Cabinet.

In 1998, the late President Ong Teng Cheong commuted the death sentence of convicted murderer Mathavakannan Kalimuthu to life imprisonment. He was eventually released in 2012 after spending about 16 years in prison.

In 2018, in a case of clemency not involving a death row inmate, then President Halimah Yacob granted clemency to a man who was a teenager when he murdered the wife of Anthony Ler, who had himself plotted the crime. Ler was sentenced to death.

His accomplice was spared the gallows because of his age and was eventually released after being detained under what is known as the President’s pleasure for 17 years.

Justice Abdullah noted that while the prosecution did not show that Tan intended to traffic the drugs, the defence also failed to rebut the presumption of possession for the purpose of trafficking.

“The defence essentially relied on the argument that the accused had not intended to possess the drugs in the first place and had not known that the bundle contained methamphetamine, even if Hakam had indeed passed the bundle to him,” he said.

But as evidence showed that Tan had negotiated for the purchase of the drugs from Hari and had intended to and had in fact taken possession of the drugs at the Lok Yang area, it meant that the defence’s argument could not stand.

“The result was that the presumption applied, and thus the element of possession for the purpose of trafficking was made out,” Justice Abdullah said.

He found Tan’s role went beyond that of a courier, noting he had negotiated the purchase and handover of the drugs.

As Tan was not eligible for the alternative sentencing regime, which allows certain death-eligible drug offenders to be sentenced to life imprisonment and caning instead of the mandatory death penalty, and the amount of methamphetamine exceeded 250g, Justice Abdullah sentenced Tan to death.

Sg not escaping the stereotype

Dont understand how this is different from the other who petitioned previously. Mainly the low IQ guy..

Maybe this guy got gd karma

 

[Kunkka]

no wonder so many druggies nowadays, laws gone soft

U never count how many executed the past 3 years? Or maybe death penalty didn't work

 

[Go Fly Kite]

Maybe need to thank obs?

 

[chaiscool]

no wonder so many druggies nowadays, laws gone soft

yay! light punishment for vaping, no death penalty for drug smugglers! singapore is becoming the next land of the free! celebration!

So change to life imprisonment? Got chance of early release? If good looking can be the next simonboy.
Our society now rewards scums, go soft on drug traffickers and lax governance on vapes.
Providing a bin for them to throw vapes? What bullocks! Anything less than raids and actual punishment is too light. Vapes = drugs and should be treated as such

Honestly, knowing the death penalty and even daring to touch drugs is..... pretty much showing your intent. Isn't that the point of the death penalty...?

Sinkie jin heartless to the needy, you all think normal ppl will resort to this meh. Obviously someone in need mah, should offer help instead of ending someone life of this. Their life mostly not going well liao, no need to kick someone when they're down.

Even murderers also can lighter sentencing sia, can stab and kill own hubby also slap on wrist punishment sia.

If really want to hang ppl go for the rich minister and billionaire who steal money from ppl. Or that nickle trader billionaire fraud too.

 

[N4E.SI]

Everybody becoming kinder ... jail become fine. Death become life imprisonment.

Its heart warming to see SG becoming a very kind society

Be merciful to drug traffickers, money launderers etc

Also when drug addicts & gangsters are released from prison, they are worshiped as brave inspirational role models

When our next gen goes to school, they no longer wish to be doctors, lawyers or policemen. They will say when I grow up, I wan go to jail so that I can become a famous influenza when released and be worshiped by thousands!

 

[lalalalalala]

Then why the low iq guy get hanged? Sham's pride?

 

[HirotoXeno]

Wlwsmdwl! This is the start of abolishing death sentence liao.

Liang Po Po no have iron . Become 搞笑行动了？

 

[tian_yibang]

Aiya, alr gotch that simi mercy thingy

Whats this clemency thing , sup sup sui rah

 

[itedino]

What is government thinking, related white horse. Dun let him stay death row

The judge, prosecutor, the IO and the law become a joke in this case

 

[WarMage87]

Who pay for this? Is it Tharman?

It's us bro.

 

[deathan9el]

considered himself a 2nd chance thrown at him & he better cherish it well