Tangaraju Suppiah | |
|---|---|
 Tangaraju Suppiah, aged 19 | |
| Born | Tangaraju s/o Suppiah 19 January 1977 Singapore |
| Died | (aged 46) Changi Prison, Singapore |
| Cause of death | Execution by hanging |
| Resting place | Lim Chu Kang Hindu Cemetery |
| Occupation | Mini-mart owner |
| Criminal status | Executed |
| Conviction(s) | Drug trafficking (one count) |
| Criminal charge | Abetment of trafficking of 1.0179 kg (2.244 lb) of marijuana |
| Penalty | Death |
Tangaraju s/o Suppiah (19 January 1977 – 26 April 2023) was a Singaporean convicted drug trafficker who was charged in February 2014 with abetting the trafficking of about 1 kg (2.2 lb) of cannabis (also known as marijuana). Prior to his arrest in 2014, Tangaraju had been to prison several times for marijuana consumption and other marijuana offences, and was said to be a user of it since he was 12. He was found guilty and sentenced to death on 9 October 2018, as the trial court found that he conspired with another man to deliver the marijuana as confirmed by the circumstantial evidence against Tangaraju.
Tangaraju, along with his defence, appealed against his sentence by claiming innocence several times but ultimately failed each time. Although the courts had affirmed Tangaraju's guilt, there were protests from his family and activists who claimed he was innocent of the crime. The government rejected such claims and stated that Tangaraju was guilty of the offence charged and had been accorded full due process.[1][2] Tangaraju was hanged in the Changi Prison at dawn on 26 April 2023.[3]
- ^ "Singapore to resume executions after 6-month break". Washington Post. 20 April 2023.
- ^ "Singapore slams Virgin's Richard Branson over death penalty criticism, calling his statements 'patently untrue'". South China Morning Post. 25 April 2023.
- ^ "Singapore executes man for trafficking two pounds of cannabis". CNN. 26 April 2023.