Brit DJs Appeal Against 20 Years And Caning Rejected

Story By: Lisa-Maria Goertz, Sub-Editor: Alex Cope, Agency: Real Press

A London-born DJ sentenced to 20 years in jail and 24 strokes of the cane for selling drugs has had his second appeal rejected by the Singaporean court.

The British national, 31-year-old Yuen Ye Ming, was working as a DJ in Singapore when he was arrested in 2016 for the possession and selling of drugs.

According to national newspaper Mothership, investigations at the time found that Ming had begun to sell drugs to fund his lavish lifestyle and pay back gambling debts.

@ming_sg/Real Press

Ming pleaded guilty to trafficking 15.47 grams (0.546 ozs) of methamphetamine, possession and consumption charges and was granted bail whilst the case was adjourned awaiting the sentencing on 17th January 2018.

It was at this time that Ming was once again arrested for the offences of trafficking 69.74 grams (2.46 ozs) of cannabis, possessing at least 60.61 grams (2.138 ozs) of cannabis and consumption. (https://bit.ly/3kMLvhx)

Ming pleaded guilty to four of the 12 charges on 18th July 2018 and was sentenced to a total of 20 years jail time and 24 strokes of the cane, the maximum amount in Singapore.

@ming_sg/Real Press

According to Mothership, Ming’s case garnered media attention after British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt brought up the case to Singapore’s Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan during an official visit in January 2019.

According to the national newspaper The Straits Times, Ming’s appeal questions whether the two separate caning sentences can be legally administered at the same time and whether Singapore’s mandatory minimum sentences are disproportionate to the crimes.

Caning is a widely used form of corporal punishment in Singapore and the punishment for drug use and trafficking are notoriously strict, including the death penalty.

@ming_sg/Real Press

The ‘mandatory death penalty’ in Singapore applies to those caught with more than 30 grams (1.1 ozs) of cocaine, 200 grams (7.1 ozs) of hashish or 500 grams (18 ozs) of cannabis.

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