Drug mule's friend pleads for leniency

A friend of drug mule Nguyen Tuong Van says he feels guilt over the Melbourne man's pending execution in Singapore. Nguyen was caught smuggling 396g of heroin out of Singapore in 2002.

He told authorities he was helping a friend repay a debt, but he did it to get his brother out of trouble.

Student Jonathan Lim backed Nguyen's claims, saying he lent Nguyen about A$20,000 ($21,664) to help him pay his brother's debts. Lim told the Herald Sun Nguyen, who will be hanged within weeks, should be spared.

"Van has got a good heart," Lim said. "He's had a hard life and he's made a couple of bad decisions, but he's not a lifetime criminal and he deserves another chance."

Lim said Nguyen had written to him from Changi Prison to apologise about not being able to repay the loan.