A FINAL legal bid to challenge D Nagaenthran’s death sentence will be heard in a Singapore court tomorrow afternoon, just a day before his hanging is due, said Lawyers for Liberty.

The outfit’s chief coordinator Zaid Malek said Nagaenthran’s mother Panchalai Supermaniam would be arguing her own case following difficulties in obtaining the services of Singapore lawyers.

Panchalai had filed the case herself in the Singapore Court of Appeal today. The matter is fixed for hearing at 2.30pm tomorrow.

“It has become very difficult to secure the services of Singaporean lawyers because they have been consistently penalised and heavily fined by the AG’s chambers and judiciary for doing so.

“Nagaenthran’s mother has been unable to obtain the services of a lawyer in Singapore to file the challenge; and hence she has personally filed it herself in court, without the assistance of any legal firm. She did so with the help of friends and activists,” said Zaid.

He added that the basis of the legal challenge was that Judge Sundaresh Menon who presided over and dismissed Nagaenthiran’s appeals was also the Attorney-General who prosecuted Nagaenthran and secured his conviction.

“This is a blatant denial of fair trial and unheard of in the Commonwealth judicial system.

“At the hearing on Tuesday at 2.30pm, Panchalai will be unrepresented by lawyers, this speaks volumes about the unjust judicial process in Singapore.

“We hope Panchalai and Nagaenthran will succeed tomorrow,” he said.

He urged the Singapore government to heed international human rights norms and immediately halt the scheduled hanging of this mentally disabled Malaysian.

The Singapore Court of Appeal had on March 29 dismissed the last application of Nagaenthran’s appeal against his execution.

The Perak-born Nagaenthran was sentenced to death in 2010 for trafficking 42.72g’s of heroin in 2009 into Singapore. His lawyers claim that he is intellectually disabled.

He was supposed to be hanged on November 10, 2021, but found temporary respite on November 9 after the court was told he had tested positive for Covid-19 when he appeared for a last-bid attempt against his death sentence.

He is set to be executed on Wednesday. – April 25, 2022.