S'pore executes 39-year-old M'sian drug trafficker

Convicted Malaysian drug trafficker Datchinamurthy Kataiah was executed in Singapore on Sep. 25, 2025.

The death penalty was carried out after an earlier postponement, according to New Straits Times (NST).

His lawyer, N Surendran, told NST that his family was informed by Changi Prison at around 12am that the execution "would not take place in the morning".

The execution was then carried out at 3pm, reported Malay Mail.

Arrested in 2011

Datchinamurthy was arrested in 2011.

He was initially scheduled for execution in 2022, but obtained a stay while under legal proceedings.

In their news release on Sep. 25, the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) said that the 39-year-old man was found in possession of at least 44.96g of diamorphine, or pure heroin.

CNB said in its statement that under Singapore's Misuse of Drugs Act, trafficking more than 15g of diamorphine carries the death penalty.

"44.96g of diamorphine is sufficient to feed the addiction of about 540 abusers for a week," CNB added.

Datchinamurthy was convicted and given the death sentence on Apr. 15, 2015.

He subsequently appealed his conviction, but the Court of Appeal dismissed it on Feb. 5, 2016.

CNB said he was represented by legal counsel throughout both his trial and appeal, and all due legal processes were followed.

Petitions for clemency submitted to the Singapore president were also unsuccessful.

Top photo via M Ravi/Facebook