S'pore court grants Pannir stay of execution after post-appeal application

Singapore’s Court of Appeal on Wednesday granted Malaysian death row inmate Pannir Selvam Pranthaman a stay of execution just hours before he was scheduled to be executed on Thursday (Feb 20).

Judge of the Appellate Division Woo Bih Li, in his judgment, said the stay was granted pending the determination of Pannir’s Post-Appeal Applications in Capital Cases (PACC) application.

Woo granted Pannir permission to make a PACC application under Section 60(G) of the Supreme Court of Judicature Act 1969 without it being set down for a hearing.

PACCs are applications filed by prisoners awaiting capital punishment after all avenues have been exhausted. Pannir represented himself in the submission.

Woo said that he granted Pannir permission to make a PACC application on the grounds that he has a pending complaint with the Law Society of Singapore against his former counsel Ong Ying Ping, as well as a pending determination of another case on a constitutional challenge related to Singapore’s drug laws.

The judge said in arriving at the decision, he had considered Pannir’s affidavit and written submission on Feb 17, as well as his further written submissions on Feb 18.

Woo also considered the attorney-general’s written submissions and the senior director in the Policy Development Division of the Home Ministry, Sanjay Nanwani’s affidavit on Feb 18.

Pannir was convicted by the High Court on May 2, 2017, for the capital offence of importing 51.84g of diamorphine into Singapore under section 7 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1973.

He was not granted a certificate of substantial assistance by the public prosecutor and was sentenced to the mandatory death penalty.

Since then, he has exhausted all legal avenues available under Singapore law.

Singapore’s PACC Act, which came into effect on June 28, 2024, allows a prisoner awaiting execution to make post-appeal applications, which can only be heard by the Court of Appeal.

The prisoner must first apply for permission from the court to make a PACC application. 

If permission is granted, the PACC application must be made to the Court of Appeal within three days from the date of approval.

The Court of Appeal will then determine the PACC application.

- Bernama

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