Kho Jabing to hang this afternoon in Singapore

Convicted murderer Kho Jabing will be sent to the gallows this afternoon in Singapore, according to the Malaysian High Commission.

Malaysia's Deputy High Commissioner to Singapore Kamsiah Kamaruddin confirmed this to Bernama here today.

Kho had failed to secure a stay of execution on his death sentence after the Singapore Court of Appeal turned down his last-minute application.

The more than three-hour proceeding was held in before Judges of Appeal Chao Hick Tin and Andrew Phang, and Justices Woo Bih Li, Lee Seiu Kin and Chan Seng Onn.

The High Commission is now preparing and working with the Sarawak state government to bring back Kho's remains scheduled for tomorrow.

Kho's sister, Jumai Kho told Bernama recently that her brother was expected to be laid to rest at the Batu 1 Muslim Cemetery, Jalan Kuala Baram, Miri, Sarawak.

Kho had converted from Christianity to Islam in prison.

Jumai had actually sent photos of the signage of the cemetery and the Masjid Ar'Rayyan Permyjaya, believed to be the nearest mosque to that area.

Kho's execution was supposed to be carried out by dawn today but his counsel managed to grant an interim stay of execution.

His lawyer, Jeanette Chong-Aruldoss had successfully filed a notice of appeal to the Court of Appeal by order of the High Court late Thursday night.

Chong had urgently filed an originating summons to the High Court to secure a stay of execution but it was dismissed by Judicial Commissioner Kannan Ramesh.

She was given till 11pm Thursday to make an appeal against the dismissal, thus prompting the postponement of the execution.

Kho, 31, from the east Malaysian state of Sarawak, was sentenced to hang six years ago for killing a man in a robbery attempt but successfully made an appeal in 2013, following amendments to Singapore's mandatory death penalty law.

Following that, he was re-sentenced to life imprisonment with 24 strokes of the cane. However, the prosecution appealed, urging the Court of Appeal to reverse the re-sentencing of the judge's decision and sent Kho to face the hangman's noose on April 5, 2016.

Listening to the judgement via an interpreter, Jabing who wore purple-coloured prison overall uniform, was seen briefly covering his face.

He was then given a space to meet his mother and sister behind the glass.