GEORGE TOWN, March 11 — Beh Chew Boo, the 38-year-old Penangite who escaped the gallows in Singapore, returned to Penang today and reunited with his family.

Beh arrived at the Penang International Airport (PIA) at 9.20am on a Scoot Airlines flight.

His father Beh Ah Baa, 72, and sister Beh Siew Yee, 28, were patiently waiting for his return at the PIA arrival hall since 9am.

The jovial father of four expressed his gratitude to the Singapore government for giving his son a fair opportunity to prove his innocence and seek justice. 

He was also grateful to lawyer Wong Siew Hong, who helped Beh to turn the tide in their favour as well as the extra care and accommodation that he (Wong) provided for his son.

"From what I have been told by the lawyer, the chance of winning the case was one in a million,” he told Bernama while waiting for his son’s arrival.

He hoped that the family would continue to live a happy and worry-free life after this  .

It is learnt that Beh needs to undergo a Covid-19 swab test before he is allowed to go home.

Beh, who was sentenced to death by the High Court on the eve of Chinese New Year last year, escaped the noose in October after a three-judge panel of the Singapore Court of Appeal accepted his appeal.

On March 2, the same panel of judges - Sundaresh Menon, Tay Yong Kwang and Steven Chong — also set aside the prosecution's application to impose four lighter charges on Beh.

The panel made a 2-1 decision in Beh's favor. — Bernama