M'sian in death row granted respite by S'pore president

SINGAPORE: Malaysian Pausi Jefridin, who was scheduled to be hanged on Wednesday (Feb 16) for a drug offence has been granted a respite by the republic's president, Halimah Yacob.

It was confirmed by his counsel Charles Yeo to Bernama.

Earlier, Singapore lawyer M Ravi posted on his Facebook page saying that the president has granted the respite order of execution to Pausi.

In a separate posting, Ravi also posted a copy of a respite order issued for Singaporean Roslan Bakar who is also in the death row.

When asked how long the respite period would be, Yeo said : "Minimally until 28 Feb. It is indefinite respite."

The Singapore Court of Appeal had yesterday dismissed two separate eleventh-hour attempts by Pausi and Roslan to escape their executions. Both were sentenced to death in 2010.

It was reported that on Feb 14, Yeo, filed a criminal motion, asking the Court of Appeal to review its 2018 decision on the death sentences but it was heard and dismissed by a three-judge the next day.

The report said the counsel then filed an application to the High Court seeking to start judicial review proceedings to declare that the death sentences were unconstitutional.

This was heard and dismissed by the High Court on Wednesday morning (Feb 16) but a temporary stay of execution was granted pending appeal.

The appeal was then heard by a three-judge on Wednesday afternoon and dismissed.

In both bids, Yeo contended that Roslan and Pausi were intellectually disabled - an issue previously raised by the pair but was rejected by the High Court in 2017 and by the Court of Appeal in 2018, said the report.

The pair were charged with trafficking in not less than 96.07g of heroin on June 14, 2008.

-- BERNAMA