Wednesday, May 18, 2005
disneyland with death penalty
Shanmugram Murugesu, a Singaporean, 38, was arrested on the 29 August 2003 at Tuas Checkpoint. A search was conducted on his motorcycle and was found to contain 6 packets of cannabis.
The 6 packets of cannabis contain 1,029.8 grams of cannabis, and 880.89 grams of cannabis mixture.
At the trial the prosecution proceeded on a capital charge of importing 1029.8 grams (nett) of cannabis under s.7 of the Misuse of Drugs Act, Cap. 185. After the trial at the High Court in April 2004, he was convicted as charged and sentenced to suffer death. His appeal against conviction and sentence of death was heard in the Court of Appeal on 26/10/2004. The appeal was dismissed.
Background:
Shanmugum had served in the Singapore Armed Forces for 8 years and in other government sectors like the Singapore Sports Council for another 4 years. He had also represented Singapore in water sports events like the 1995 World Championship Jetski Finals in Lake Havasu, Arizona, USA. Before his arrest, Shanmugram worked as a taxidriver and a free-lance window cleaner to support his sons and mother. He also contributed income to his sister and her 3 children. He did not have any previous convictions except for a minor traffic offence. After his divorce in 2002, he was awarded custody of his twin sons, now aged 14. After the divorce he had lost interest in life and became a victim of drug abuse.
Shanmugam came from a poor Indian Singaporean family and had a younger sister and 1 younger brother. His sister is divorced and has 3 children and his brother is a police officer attached to the Marine Police. He was in desperate financial circumstances which led him to commit the offence. The financial burdens on him were heavy as he had to look after the financial needs of his sons, nieces, nephews and mother. His parents were divorced and the mother who is in her 60's, is in poor health. She is unable to work and is financially supported by him and the brother. Since his arrest, the mother has been looking after the sons who are both studying in secondary three.
Plea to save from execution
Twins Gopalan and Krishnan Murugesu, 14, distributed more than 500 flyers detailing their fathers Shanmugam's plight. They plea for help to save their father, Shanmugam Murugesu, from being executed after he was convicted and sentenced to hang last April for drug trafficking. They are collecting signature for a petition against the execution, saying their father's death would make them orphans. The petition will be submitted the president of singapore requesting the death sentence be commuted to imprisonment. The presidential clemency is the final mechanism for appeal. Shanmugam is due to be hanged on or before the first week of May 2005. (from www.thinkcentre.org )
anyway it didnt make any difference the poor man was hanged.
paul theroux, who once lived in singapore, called it DISNEYLAND WITH DEATH PENALTY
The 6 packets of cannabis contain 1,029.8 grams of cannabis, and 880.89 grams of cannabis mixture.
At the trial the prosecution proceeded on a capital charge of importing 1029.8 grams (nett) of cannabis under s.7 of the Misuse of Drugs Act, Cap. 185. After the trial at the High Court in April 2004, he was convicted as charged and sentenced to suffer death. His appeal against conviction and sentence of death was heard in the Court of Appeal on 26/10/2004. The appeal was dismissed.
Background:
Shanmugum had served in the Singapore Armed Forces for 8 years and in other government sectors like the Singapore Sports Council for another 4 years. He had also represented Singapore in water sports events like the 1995 World Championship Jetski Finals in Lake Havasu, Arizona, USA. Before his arrest, Shanmugram worked as a taxidriver and a free-lance window cleaner to support his sons and mother. He also contributed income to his sister and her 3 children. He did not have any previous convictions except for a minor traffic offence. After his divorce in 2002, he was awarded custody of his twin sons, now aged 14. After the divorce he had lost interest in life and became a victim of drug abuse.
Shanmugam came from a poor Indian Singaporean family and had a younger sister and 1 younger brother. His sister is divorced and has 3 children and his brother is a police officer attached to the Marine Police. He was in desperate financial circumstances which led him to commit the offence. The financial burdens on him were heavy as he had to look after the financial needs of his sons, nieces, nephews and mother. His parents were divorced and the mother who is in her 60's, is in poor health. She is unable to work and is financially supported by him and the brother. Since his arrest, the mother has been looking after the sons who are both studying in secondary three.
Plea to save from execution
Twins Gopalan and Krishnan Murugesu, 14, distributed more than 500 flyers detailing their fathers Shanmugam's plight. They plea for help to save their father, Shanmugam Murugesu, from being executed after he was convicted and sentenced to hang last April for drug trafficking. They are collecting signature for a petition against the execution, saying their father's death would make them orphans. The petition will be submitted the president of singapore requesting the death sentence be commuted to imprisonment. The presidential clemency is the final mechanism for appeal. Shanmugam is due to be hanged on or before the first week of May 2005. (from www.thinkcentre.org )
anyway it didnt make any difference the poor man was hanged.
paul theroux, who once lived in singapore, called it DISNEYLAND WITH DEATH PENALTY
