Malaysian national Datchinamurthy Kataiah was executed in Singapore on 25 September 2025 for trafficking heroin, after a brief postponement earlier in the day.
The 39-year-old was hanged at Changi Prison at 3pm after the family was earlier told that the execution would not take place in the morning.
His lawyer, N Surendran, told New Straits Times (NST) that Datchinamurthy’s family had been informed by prison authorities at around midnight that the execution would not proceed as scheduled.
However, CNB later confirmed that the sentence was carried out in the afternoon of the same day.
Arrested in 2011 and sentenced in 2015
Datchinamurthy was arrested in 2011 after being found in possession of 44.96g of diamorphine, or pure heroin.
In a press release on 25 September, the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) stated that the amount was nearly three times the 15g threshold under Singapore’s Misuse of Drugs Act that mandates the death penalty.
Datchinamurthy was convicted and sentenced to death on 15 April 2015. His appeal was dismissed by the Court of Appeal on 5 February 2016.
Execution delayed in 2022 due to legal proceedings
The execution had originally been scheduled for 2022 but was postponed due to ongoing legal proceedings.
CNB stated that Datchinamurthy had full legal representation throughout both his trial and appeal processes.
Clemency petitions submitted to the President of Singapore were also unsuccessful.
Human rights concerns raised
The execution has drawn condemnation from local human rights advocates.
Singapore human rights lawyer and activist M. Ravi, who previously represented Datchinamurthy, criticised the execution in comments to The Online Citizen (TOC), calling it a “cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment”.
He expressed particular concern over the sudden reversal of the postponement notice:
“This abrupt reversal is deeply distressing. To raise hopes of a reprieve and then rescind it inflicts intense anguish on Datchinamurthy and his loved ones.
Such treatment risks violating fundamental principles of justice and humanity and is inconsistent with Singapore’s obligations under the rule of law.”
A vigil was also held on Tuesday at Hong Lim Park for Datchinamurthy, after his family was informed on Sunday, 21 September, according to Kokila Annamalai of the Transformative Justice Collective (TJC).
A video shared by Ravi on his Facebook page showed the distraught family members after receiving Datchinamurthy’s body following the execution.
Strict drug laws
Singapore maintains a strict zero-tolerance approach to drug trafficking, with the death penalty mandated for certain quantities of narcotics under the Misuse of Drugs Act.
Diamorphine, or heroin, is one of the substances listed under the Act, with a 15g threshold triggering capital punishment.
The Singapore government has consistently defended its drug policies, stating that they serve as a strong deterrent and are necessary to protect society from the harms of drug abuse.
CNB reiterated this position in its latest statement, affirming that due process had been observed and that the individual had received legal counsel throughout.
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