Execution of a convicted drug trafficker - 25 September 2025

1.  The capital sentence of death imposed on Datchinamurthy a/l Kataiah (“Datchinamurthy”) was carried out on 25 September 2025.

2. Datchinamurthy, a 39-year-old Malaysian, was convicted of having in his possession for the purpose of trafficking, not less than 44.96 grammes of diamorphine, or pure heroin. The Misuse of Drugs Act provides for the death penalty if the amount of diamorphine trafficked is more than 15 grammes. 44.96 grammes of diamorphine is sufficient to feed the addiction of about 540 abusers for a week.

3. Datchinamurthy was accorded full due process under the law, and was represented by legal counsel during trial and appeal:

   1. Datchinamurthy was convicted and sentenced to capital punishment on 15 April 2015.

   2. He appealed against his conviction and sentence, and the Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal on 5 February 2016.

4. Datchinamurthy’s petitions to the President for clemency were unsuccessful.

5. Capital punishment is imposed only for the most serious crimes, such as the trafficking of significant quantities of drugs which cause very serious harm, not just to individual drug abusers, but also to their families and the wider society.

Central Narcotics Bureau
25 September 2025