Misuse of Drugs Act 1973 - Singapore Statutes Online

Discretion of court not to impose sentence of death in certain circumstances

33B.—(1) Where a person commits or attempts to commit an offence under section 5(1) or 7, being an offence punishable with death under the sixth column of the Second Schedule, and the person is convicted thereof, the court —

(a)	may, if the person satisfies the requirements of subsection (2), instead of imposing the death penalty, sentence the person to imprisonment for life and, if the person is sentenced to life imprisonment, the person shall also be sentenced to caning of not less than 15 strokes; or
(b)	shall, if the person satisfies the requirements of subsection (3), instead of imposing the death penalty, sentence the person to imprisonment for life. [30/2012]

(2) The requirements referred to in subsection (1)(a) are as follows:

(a)

the person convicted proves, on a balance of probabilities, that his or her involvement in the offence under section 5(1) or 7 was restricted —

(i)	to transporting, sending or delivering a controlled drug;
(ii)	to offering to transport, send or deliver a controlled drug;
(iii)	to doing or offering to do any act preparatory to or for the purpose of his or her transporting, sending or delivering a controlled drug; or
(iv)	to any combination of activities in sub‑paragraphs (i), (ii) and (iii); and

(b)

the Public Prosecutor certifies to any court that, in his or her determination, the person has substantively assisted the Central Narcotics Bureau in disrupting drug trafficking activities within or outside Singapore.

[30/2012]

(3) The requirements referred to in subsection (1)(b) are that the person convicted proves, on a balance of probabilities, that —

(a)

his or her involvement in the offence under section 5(1) or 7 was restricted —

(i)	to transporting, sending or delivering a controlled drug;
(ii)	to offering to transport, send or deliver a controlled drug;
(iii)	to doing or offering to do any act preparatory to or for the purpose of his or her transporting, sending or delivering a controlled drug; or
(iv)	to any combination of activities in sub‑paragraphs (i), (ii) and (iii); and

(b)

he or she was suffering from such abnormality of mind (whether arising from a condition of arrested or retarded development of mind or any inherent causes or induced by disease or injury) as substantially impaired his or her mental responsibility for his or her acts and omissions in relation to the offence under section 5(1) or 7.

[30/2012]

(4) The determination of whether or not any person has substantively assisted the Central Narcotics Bureau in disrupting drug trafficking activities shall be at the sole discretion of the Public Prosecutor and no action or proceeding shall lie against the Public Prosecutor in relation to any such determination unless it is proved to the court that the determination was done in bad faith or with malice.

[30/2012]

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