Thu Feb 20 12:03:05 UTC 2025: ## Singapore Court Grants Stay of Execution for Malaysian Man Facing Death Penalty
**Singapore, January 25, 2025** – Pannir Selvam Pranthaman, an Indian-origin Malaysian convicted of drug trafficking in Singapore, has been granted a stay of execution just days before his scheduled death. The Court of Appeal issued the stay pending the outcome of his complaints against his former lawyer and a constitutional challenge to certain provisions of the Misuse of Drugs Act.
Pranthaman, sentenced to death in 2017 for importing heroin, was to be executed on Thursday. However, Justice Woo Bih Li intervened, citing the newly enacted Post-Appeal Applications in Capital Cases Act (Pacc Act), which came into effect on June 28, 2024. The Pacc Act outlines procedures for death row inmates to file post-appeal applications and requires the Court of Appeal to assess the applications’ merit and any undue delay.
Pranthaman’s stay was granted on two grounds. First, he filed a complaint with the Law Society against his former lawyer, alleging pressure, misleading advice, and inadequate representation. Justice Woo found a “reasonable prospect of success” in this complaint, noting the promptness with which Pranthaman reported the alleged misconduct to his current lawyer.
Second, Pranthaman’s application leveraged an ongoing constitutional challenge to the presumption of guilt under Section 18(1) of the Misuse of Drugs Act, which presumes possession of a controlled drug unless proven otherwise. While not a party to the original case, Justice Woo deemed Pranthaman similarly situated, arguing that a successful appeal would significantly impact his conviction. The Court of Appeal is currently reviewing this challenge.
The Ministry of Law maintains that the Pacc Act safeguards justice and prevents abuse of court processes. However, this case highlights the complexities of capital punishment and the ongoing debate surrounding the presumption of innocence in drug trafficking cases in Singapore. The stay of execution leaves Pranthaman’s fate uncertain, pending the resolution of these legal challenges.
First Piper 