SINGAPORE – A 38-year-old Malaysian man who escaped the noose on October 13 last year after the Singapore Court of Appeal cleared him of a capital drug charge finally walked out a free man yesterday.
The Straits Times reported that Beh Chew Boo was released after the same panel of judges dismissed a bid by prosecutors to proceed with the trial of four other non-capital charges against him.
It reported that judges Sundaresh Menon, Tay Yong Kwang and Steven Chong came in with a 2-1 decision.
Beh, who was arrested in October 2016 at the Woodlands Checkpoint, faced five charges of unauthorised importation of controlled drugs on the same occasion.
The prosecution, however, proceeded with only the first charge, which involved the death penalty, while the other four charges were stood down.
Beh claimed trial and was convicted by the high court here on the charge of importing into Singapore not less than 499.97g of methamphetamine.
He was sentenced to death early last year.
At the time of the incident, Beh, who was then 34 years old, entered Singapore from Malaysia on a Malaysian-registered motorcycle, with his girlfriend, Ting Swee Ling, riding pillion.
The registered owner of the motorcycle is his friend and ex-colleague.
The seized drugs contained not less than 742.82g of crystalline substance, which was analysed and found to contain not less than 499.97g of methamphetamine. – Bernama, March 3, 2021
