Drugs smuggler given temporary reprieve

SINGAPORE’S appeals court reserved judgement yesterday in a death-penalty case against an Australian convicted of smuggling heroin, saying it wants more time to look at evidence.

The decision by the three-judge panel to defer judgement against Nguyen Tuong Van means legal proceedings will be extended days or weeks in a case that dates from December 2002.

Chief Justice Yong Pung How told the court that there was a discrepancy in drug weight during testing.

“It is only a marginal difference, but we have to be very careful,” Yong said.

Nguyen, aged 23, a salesman from Melbourne, faces the gallows if his appeal fails.