An intellectually impaired man has been executed in Singapore despite a last-minute bid by his mother to save his life

The 34-year-old was convicted of drug trafficking a decade ago and was hanged at Changi Prison by Singaporean authorities on Wednesday morning.

There were emotional scenes at the city-state’s high court just 24 hours earlier, when the convicted was permitted to hold the hands of his family members one last time.

His mother sought an Appeal to prevent the death penalty from being carried out which was rejected.

Arrested in 2009, the then 21-year-old was caught trying to smuggle over 42 grams of heroin into Singapore.

His case generated worldwide interest after it was revealed he has a mental disability alongside an IQ of 69.

Despite this, the court ruled his “mental responsibility for the the offence was not substantially impaired” and he “understood the nature of his acts.