Man executed for murder of ex-fiancée in Singapore

In a sombre statement released yesterday, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) confirmed the execution of a Bangladeshi national for the murder of his former fiancée at a budget hotel in Geylang back in 2018.

Despite fervent appeals for clemency, the president’s decision stood firm, sealing Ahmed Salim’s grim fate.

This chilling incident marks the Republic’s first judicial execution for murder since 2019, according to a Singapore Prison Service (SPS) spokesperson.

Salim, described as a painter by profession, committed the appalling act of strangling Nurhidayati Wartono Surata, an Indonesian domestic worker, in a fit of jealousy and rage. Their tumultuous relationship took a tragic turn on the fateful evening of December 30, 2018, within the confines of the Golden Dragon Hotel, where Salim’s violent outburst culminated in Surata’s death.

Facing charges of murder on January 2, 2019, Ahmed was sentenced to death on December 14, 2020, following due legal process. Despite efforts to contest his conviction, an appeal filed in 2022 was summarily dismissed, reaffirming the severity of his crime.

The absence of judicial executions in the years preceding Salim’s demise has raised questions, with some attributing the hiatus to legal intricacies rather than external factors such as the Covid-19 pandemic. The intricate web of legal proceedings, often fraught with complexities, underscores the painstaking efforts undertaken to ensure justice is served.

The Bangladeshi’s tumultuous relationship with Surata, fraught with betrayal and resentment, culminated in a harrowing climax that shocked the nation. Salim’s premeditated actions, as revealed during court proceedings, painted a chilling portrait of a man consumed by jealousy and obsession, reported The Nation.

Represented by a dedicated legal team, Salim’s plea for leniency hinged on claims of mental impairment due to an adjustment disorder. However, the courts remained resolute, deeming his actions deliberate and reprehensible.

In an interview with The Straits Times, Salim’s legal counsel, Eugene Thuraisingam, reflected on the arduous journey, expressing the solemn acceptance of the law’s verdict.