Was Nagaenthran aware of the illegality of bringing drugs into Singapore?

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Nagaenthran's Awareness of Drug Smuggling Illegality

Reports from forensic psychiatric evaluations indicate that Nagaenthran possessed the capacity to understand the illegality of bringing drugs into Singapore, despite certain cognitive limitations. While his borderline intelligence and cognitive deficits were acknowledged as potentially influencing his judgment and loyalty, these factors were not found to have substantially impaired his ability to appreciate the illicit nature of his actions. The legal determination ultimately concluded that he was not suffering from an abnormality of mind that would negate his responsibility.
Initial Assessment of Mental State

A report by Dr Kenneth Koh, dated April 11, 2013, stated that Nagaenthran was not suffering from any mental illness at the time of the offence and was not clinically mentally retarded. Dr Koh did, however, note that Nagaenthran's "borderline range of intelligence" might have made him more prone to overestimating threats. Despite this, the conclusion of the report was that this borderline intelligence did not diminish his ability to understand that the package he was carrying likely contained drugs and that transporting it to Singapore was against the law.
Subsequent Evaluations and Legal Standards

Further assessments, including a report dated February 7, 2017, also prepared by Dr Koh based on subsequent evaluations by other specialists, suggested that Nagaenthran's borderline intelligence and cognitive deficits "may have contributed toward his misdirected loyalty and poor assessment of the risks in agreeing to carry out the offence." However, the High Court judge found that these conditions did not meet the legal threshold for an "abnormality of mind" as defined under Section 33B(3)(b) of the Misuse of Drugs Act (MDA).
Legal Criteria for Abnormality of Mind

To successfully claim an abnormality of mind defence under Singaporean law, three cumulative requirements must be met. Firstly, the individual must be suffering from an abnormality of mind. Secondly, this abnormality must have arisen from specific causes, such as arrested development, inherent causes, or disease or injury. Finally, if the first two conditions are met, the abnormality of mind must have substantially impaired the individual's mental responsibility for their actions. The court determined that Nagaenthran did not satisfy these stringent criteria.

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Was Nagaenthran aware of the illegality of bringing drugs into Singapore?

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