Hope and elation for family of man on death row

GEORGE TOWN: M. Karthigesu and his family have been living with sleepless nights for eight years, always fearing news that his brother, 30-year-old M. Thurkeshewaran, would be hanged.

On Friday (June 10), Karthigesu woke up to the news that the government had agreed to abolish the mandatory death penalty, and he was elated.

"We have been fighting for years for the death penalty to be abolished. My parents will surely welcome this news and be more than happy.

"I was at loss for words when my brother's lawyer called me to tell me the news," said the 26-year-old.

Thurkeshewaran was convicted of murder and has been waiting for his death sentence for the past eight years.

Defence counsel Dev Kumaraendran said it was welcome news for the criminal justice system.

"It is the news that every family of those who are on the death row has been waiting for.

"As a criminal defence lawyer who predominantly undertakes death penalty cases, this is the news I have waited for from 36 years ago when I first decided to become a lawyer to save lives," he said.

He added that rehabilitation, correction and lengthy imprisonment are better mechanisms.