A former prison official who presided over 130 hangings across five Malaysian jails has given Daily Mail Australia an extraordinary insight into the final hours of a death row inmate.

In an exclusive interview in Kuala Lumpur, the retired former chief hangman, 61, said the executions always begin at dawn, just after the morning prayers.



http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5794133/Malaysian-executioner-reveals-moments-Australian-grandma-sentenced-death.html

'That is the best time,' said the officer, who asked his name not to be published for safety reasons.

'People wake up, their mind is always at peace.'

It's very quiet, the whole prison is very quiet, especially the Muslims, they pray.'


People in the death knell are praying for the inmate about to be hanged, the Christians, the people in the other blocks are praying for them too and they know that.


The ex-hangman opened up about the country's secretive execution process after a Malaysian court sentenced Sydney woman Maria Exposto, 54, to death.


Like many before her, in 2014, Ms Exposto was caught at Kuala Lumpur international airport carrying a bag laced with drugs more than a kilogram of crystal methamphetamine.

She claimed she was 'duped' into carrying the substance by an online romance scammer.


Drug smuggling carries a mandatory death penalty in Malaysia.

Activists have long criticised the hardline policy as 'barbaric, cruel and inhumane', but it has broad public support.

This week, the former prison chief outlined a grim future for Ms Exposto if a final appeal against her death sentence fails.

Exposto was sentenced to death on May 24, more than three years after she was first arrested.


The former executioner explains to journalist Daniel Piotrowski what the final moments of Exposto's life will be like inside the Malaysian prison.

THE FINAL DAYS


There are estimated 1346 Malaysian prisoners currently on death row face a long wait, the executioner said.

It can take up to 11 years of queue behind bars for inmates to step into the gallows.

The prison starts preparing for the hanging one month before.

The chief executioner chooses an appropriate date and time and selects a support team to prepare the chamber, place the noose around the inmate's neck and pull the trapdoor lever.


'We inform the family one week earlier, for preparation by the family (with) what they want to do with the body,' the hangman said.'


We inform the family that the execution will be carried out, in this prison, between this time, at this date.'(We say), please be there one day before this.'

But the inmate does not learn they will be put to death until 24 hours before they are hanged.


That morning, the prisoner is summoned to a meeting with the prison director and told it is their last full day on Earth.


The jail has received a death penalty warrant, the director tells them, and 'yes, your family knows already'.

'Immediately after seeing the director, they (are) taken out to a room, then the family comes in,' the official said.'

Anyone from the family can come, no problem.


That part is always very emotional.'



Exposto is currently being held inside the notorious Kajang prison (pictured) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia's capital.

A summoned prisoner speaks at a table as dozens of other inmates sit in large holding cages behind him.
Lalasticlala, Mynd44

The prisoners say their final goodbyes.

They can ask for a last meal, although they are by no means guaranteed to get what they asked for, the hangman said.

'Some people ask, is there any chance to drink, smoke?' the executioner laughed. 'There's no such thing as 'one for the road! Let's have a drink before we go!'

The next day the prisoner wakes and is led into the gallows.

The jail is, usually, quiet and still.

Sometimes, the executioner said, it's all over 'ten seconds' after the prisoner steps into the chamber.

Malaysia has a mandatory death sentence for anyone found guilty of carrying more than 50 grams of a prohibited drug.


Pictured:

A group of prisoners who are on death row at Kajang Prison gather together to pray.

A guard stands outside Kajang prison.

One Nigerian man cried for his entire final day after being told he would die, the hangman recalled.



The executioner who spoke to Daily Mail Australia killed his first inmate, a drug smuggling Thai actor when he was 26-years-old.

Over his career, he directly hanged 70 people, and supervised about 60 more.

Sometimes, the hangman executed multiple people at once.

There were six people all together on one occasion, three on another. 'Ninety per cent' of prisoners were peaceful in their final moments, he claimed.

The rest were distressed.

One notorious mass-murderer even spat in the hangman's face as the cover was placed over his head.

'He killed women, he killed children,' the executioner said.'

I had no regret, I had totally no regret. I can still make his face, he's looking at me, spitting in my face'.



One inmate left a heartbreaking letter to his son saying 'please do not do the same thing I did… selling drugs, doing this, it's not going to get you anywhere.

I made this mistake, I'm very sorry son.'

The doomed prisoner asked the hangman to give it to his boy.

'I shook hands with (the son) and said: "I'm very sorry",' he recalled.

Most of the damned were men.

A 6 ft 5 Nigerian man cried for his entire final day after being told he would die, the hangman recalled.

'Woman, I think, are tougher than men,' the executioner said.

About six women were hanged under his watch and, 'women are always more well prepared than men, I noticed that.'

Hangmen are handpicked from existing jail staff by a selection panel.


'You must have a very good record, physically you must be fit, mentally you must be strong,' he said.'

You have to be very, very strong.

It's not easy to become an executioner.

You must be able to control your emotions.'

Executions do not happen every day, or even every month.

In 2016, Malaysia put nine people to death, while its courts handed down more than 36 death sentences, according to Amnesty International statistics.

But why do people follow such a career in the first place?

The hangmen said he did his work out of a sense of duty to the nation.

'Of course there is emotion there,' he said. 'I only see it as part of my work.'

I feel like this is my work, to serve the country, and nothing more than that.

'I do not hold any grudges. I do not hold any ill feelings towards the opposite, even if it is a murderer, even if they are drug smugglers… because I know the process of law has been done, has been carried out.'

The hangman said he has 'no regrets'.




Malaysia has a mandatory death sentence for anyone found guilty of carrying more than 50 grams of a prohibited drug.

Exposto was caught with 1.5 kilograms of crystal meth in her bag at Kuala Lumpur international airport.

She has been held at Kajang prison since her arrest.

O ti an explorers thread? Space booked. Vroom vroom. This is my final bus stop.


[UPDATE]
Remember boys and girls: committing murder is bad but only good when a government does it. President Duterte's kill all drug dealers directive comes to mind.

The part about a Nigerian crying is just western propaganda as usual, they mention other nationalities to make themselves seem holier than thou. Why didn't they ask Mr. Executioner about British, French or American nationals?

Of course women are more docile than males. It's their nature. It doesn't mean they're tougher, they are only quicker to accept a bad fate.

Makes me remember the stories of the Roman Empire

following

Morbid...

Only God knows what runs through their minds the moment they are told they just have 24hrs on earth.

Now that's one thing i can not do

Dear people, obey the law
Stay out of trouble
Play safe
Be alive

Heartbreaking knowing you have less than 24hrs to breath your last.

This is very heartbreaking mehn I wonder how there families would feel when they inform them Dere relative has a week to go...

The bottom line is we should all just be careful in n outside the country.. We shouldn't do drugs either selling or using,it's too dangerous

#Following

chillychill:
This is very heartbreaking mehn I wonder how there families would feel when they inform them Dere relative has a week to go...

The bottom line is we should all just be careful in n outside the country.. We shouldn't do drugs either selling or using,it's too dangerous

A day not a week.

lyriclekidd:


A day not a week.

The family would have been informed a week before na... The accused would be informed a day before

This is so emotional gosh

What got me was the murderer who still managed to hold so much hate inside of him to the extent of him making his last voluntary action on earth 'spitting on the hangman'.. Some people can not be redeemed..

And why that man com cast Nigeria naa.. Na only us de fear to die?? If I hear!

Lastly,, I am surprised to read that the women are calmer than men.. Never experredat..

He will always see those faces he executed till he meets his maker.

Some ignorant innocent people may have been executed as well, may God have mercy on their souls.

Chaaaiii this is barbaric!!!

e

It's explorers the wicked thread producer.

This is one of the jobs I don't think i can ever do no matter the pay...
Gosh!

kellyJames5:
This is one of the jobs I don't think i can ever do no matter the pay...

Gosh!

Not easy at all. BBC once featured an American hangman who was dealing with the effects of his executions. He almost killed himself some years after retirement. It's a crazy thing and the process of becoming one is rigid.

I’ve lost a couple of friends because I didn’t help them take a gift for loved ones. Shey I be FedEx?

If I’m really pressed, I’ll buy the gift myself to make sure that it hasn’t been tampered with.

Mustay:


Not easy at all. BBC once featured an American hangman who was dealing with the effects of his executions. He almost killed himself some years after retirement. It's a crazy thing and the process of becoming one is rigid.

I can only but imagine.

Scientists should do well to develop a Robotic Executioner because no matter how strong a human is, the emotional and psychological trauma of taking a life of a human will always dawn on him when the time comes..

This is so so painful, I feel for the woman. I just hope after his retirement the job doesn't give him bad effects of it. They keep telling people to stop carrying drugs but they won't hear.
Even if your family, friend and loved ones give you package to help deliver, please request it be opened to know what's inside in your presence.

Heloct:
This is so emotional gosh

...there far easier ways to make money
...information is key

May Almghty God help us in this life... lot of things is running through my mind

And this is a human being