Malaysia Death Penalty News

[AnneTheBelgian]

Photo (who concerns the case of the three Mexicans brothers sentenced to death on May 17, 2012) : Mexican brothers, from left, Luis Alfonso Gonzalez Villarreal, Simon Gonzalez Villarreal and Jose Regino Gonzalez Villarreal leave a courthouse in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Thursday, May 17, 2012. The Kuala Lumpur High Court convicted the three brothers of drug trafficking and sentenced them to death by hanging. (AP Photo/Lai Seng Sin)/ERIE TIMES-NEWS 







Anne

[turboprinz]

http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/international/2012-05-17/mexican-brothers-face-death-sentence-in-malaysia/945926

[turboprinz]

WA man faces death penalty in Malaysia
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/8471065/wa-man-faces-death-penalty-in-malaysia

A West Australian man is facing the death penalty in Malaysia after being officially charged with drug trafficking.

During a court appearance in Kuala Lumpur on Monday, Perth man Dominic Jude Christopher Bird, 32, was charged with one count of drug trafficking and one count of drug use, after Malaysian prosecutors said the substance he was arrested with contained 167 grams of methamphetamine.

Bird had previously been "provisionally" charged under Section 39B of Malaysia's Dangerous Drugs Act, which carries a mandatory death penalty for the quantity of drug he is alleged to have possessed.

Bird was arrested by undercover officers on March 1 at a Kuala Lumpur coffee shop where, police allege, he was trying to sell them 228g of drugs.

A chemist's report tendered during Monday's court hearing in Kuala Lumpur confirmed the drug was about 73 per cent pure methamphetamine.

Under Malaysian law, a person convicted of possessing more than 50g of methamphetamine is declared a drug trafficker and faces a mandatory death sentence.

Bird's case will now be transferred to the Malaysian High Court, where he is expected to reappear in November.

Malaysian-based Australian lawyer Tania Scivetti, who is representing Bird, said the next court date had not been set, and her client had been remanded in custody.

She said Bird was in good spirits, despite the serious nature of his charges.

"It's tough, but he's doing all right," Ms Scivetti told AAP.

Ms Scivetti was unsure of the fate of two local men and a Filipino woman who were arrested at Bird's apartment during a search following his initial arrest.

Bird had previously complained of being assaulted in custody, a matter that was raised at his last court appearance on March 9.

Malaysian police denied Bird had been assaulted when contacted by AAP at that time.

Bird's father, Clayton, flew from Perth to see his son shortly after his arrest.

The family has asked the media for privacy.

Malaysia has executed three Australians for drug offences.

Kevin Barlow and Brian Chambers were hanged in July 1986, followed by Michael McAuliffe in June 1993.

[leopard32]

May 28, 2012

In Malaysia, the High Court sentenced a Filipino maid to the gallows for trafficking 1126.9 grams of cocaine at the Puduraya Bus Terminal in Kuala Lumpur, three years ago.
Judge Datuk Mohd Sofian Abdul Razak sentenced Eliza Sans Gabrier, 45, after the defence had failed to raise any reasonable doubts in the prosecution's case.
In his judgement, Mohd Sofian said the defence's argument was merely denial, as such the court had no other option but to hand her the capital punishment.
Gabrier, who stood in the dock did not give any immediate reaction when the interpreter explained what had transpired, but just closed her face with a white towel.
Throughout the trial, the prosecution led by Deputy Public Prosecutor Lokman Kassim, nine witnesses were called to the stand. (Sources: BERNAMA, 28/05/2012)

[leopard32]

5/29

KUALA LUMPUR: A scrap metal collector has been sentenced to death for murdering a deaf mute transvestite he had picked up from the Chow Kit area three years ago.

Justice Su Geok Yiam held that the prosecution had proven the case beyond reasonable doubt.

V. Raja was found guilty of murdering M. Kanan @ Suppiah.

In her judgment, Justice Su said the court accepted the evidence by a witness who saw Raja stabbing the victim who later fell into a pond.

The High Court judge ruled that Raja’s defence failed to raise any doubt in the murder case.

Raja had claimed trial to murdering Kanan, 42, at the Ayer Panas flood retention pond in Lorong Ayer Tawar off Air Jernih in Setapak on Aug 24, 2009.

Pleading for leniency, counsel Shamsul Sulaiman said his 23-year-old client was remorseful.

According to court papers, Hospital Kuala Lumpur’s senior forensic consultant Dr Mohd Shah Mahmood concluded that the cause of the transvestite’s death was a stab wound on his abdomen.

[turboprinz]

Malaysia lowers sentences of 3 death throw Pinoys
(philstar.com) Updated May 30, 2012 04:17 PM

MANILA, Philippines - Vice President Jejomar Binay on Wednesday announced that the Malaysian government has pardoned three overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) on death row in Sabah.

Binay, who was in Kuala Lumpur, said the three OFWs were Basir Omar, Jaliman Salleh and Aldipal Hadani.

Binay, who is the concurrent presidential adviser on OFW concerns, has thanked the Malaysian government through Malaysian Foreign Minister Dato’ Sri Anifah Aman.

“We sincerely appreciate the grant of pardon and see it as further validation of the strong ties between the Philippines and Malaysia," he said.

In January, this year, Philippine Ambassador to Malaysia Eduardo Malaya called on Sabah Governor and Pardons Board Chairman Tun Datuk Seri Panglima, and requested for his intervention to commute the death sentences of six Filipinos, including the three pardoned migrant workers.

The Pardons Board handed down on May 22 a decision commuting the death sentence of Omar to 13 years and seven months. The new sentence will commence its counting from the date of pardon.

Meanwhile, the death sentences for Salleh and Hadani were reduced to 15 years imprisonment in a decision rendered on May 14 in Kota Kinabalu.

The two were arrested on July 8, 2008 in Kota Kinabalu when police found 867.1 grams of cannabis in their bags, and were sentenced to death by the Sabah High Court on June 25, 2010.

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=812299&publicationSubCategoryId=200

[turboprinz]

Saturday June 9, 2012
Zambian student in tears after getting death sentence

SHAH ALAM: A 25-year-old Zambian student broke down in tears after the High Court sentenced her to death for trafficking 1.3kg of methamphetamine.

Nachilongo Doreen sobbed upon learning about her conviction and sentence through an interpreter here yesterday.

She was charged with trafficking the drugs in front of the international arrival hall at KL Inter­national Airport in Sepang at 3pm on Feb 23, last year.

Justice Noor Azian Shaari, in her ruling, said the court did not accept the accused’s claim that the drugs were planted in her bag when she was detained by the Immigration Department for eight hours.

“From the way the drugs were properly placed at the bottom of the bag and how it was glued, the court finds it impossible for the drugs to be planted in her bag during her detention,” said the judge.

Justice Noor Azian also pointed out that although the accused claimed she had come to Malaysia to look for a job, her flight ticket stated that she was only staying in the country for a week.

Records also showed the accused had booked a stay at the Hilton Hotel.

“I find her defence to be unreasonable. The defence has failed to raise a reasonable doubt in the case,” she added before passing the mandatory death sentence.

The accused was represented by Amrit Pal Singh while DPP Suzana Abd Latiff appeared for the prosecution.

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/6/9/courts/11445153&sec=courts

[leopard32]

A video of Nachilongo Doreen leaving the court is available here

http://www.ntv7.com.my/7edition/local-en/ZAMBIAN_STUDENT_SENT_TO_THE_GALLOWS.html

[leopard32]

June 27 (Bernama) -- Two brothers were among four drug traffickers handed the death penalty by the High Court here today for trafficking 22kg of cannabis three years ago.

Judge Datuk Asmabi Mohamad when sentencing the four said the defence had failed to raise reasonable doubts against the prosecution's charges.

He said the first accused Badrul Hisham Kamaruddin, 42 and his brother Mohd Amirul 24, from Kuala Lipis, Pahang, admitted that they had met an agent provocateur (an agent employed by the police or other entity to act undercover to entice or provoke another person to commit an illegal act) three times but to deal with snake skins and not drugs.

Two other accused, Syed Mohamad Anis Alkaff Syed Osman, 55, and Azhar Ali, 47, in their defence had said that there had come to Kuala Lumpur to buy a lorry.

"After listening to 13 witnesses from the prosecution and four from the defence, the court felt the defence's denial was an after taught," said Asmabi.

Badrul Hisham, Mohd Amirul, Syed Mohamad Anis and Azhar were charged of committing the offence, trafficking 22,007 grams of Cannabis in front of an aluminium factory, New Age, 160B New Village, Jalan TUDM, Petaling Jaya at about 4.20pm on Feb 21, 2009.

Prosecution was led by Wan Zuraida Wan Nawan while Nik Mohd Radhia represented the two brothers and lawyers Surjan Singh and A. Nadarajan represented Syed Mohamad Anis and Azhar respectively.

[leopard32]

06/27

The Shah Alam High Court sent a lorry driver to the gallows after he was found guilty for the murder of a businessman two years ago.

Ho Kok Leong was also given the death penalty for illegally possessing a firearm by Judge Datuk Asmadi Asmawi.

The accused was also sentenced to five years in jail for firing the weapon at police corporal Husin Senawi with intent to kill to stop the policeman from arresting him.

Ho murdered the 51 year old victim, Lee Fah Sa in a dispute over a 15 thousand ringgit debt.

All three offences were committed on June 28th, 2010 at a parking lot in Taman Serdang Perdana, Selangor.

[leopard32]

07/02

An Iranian businessman was sent to the gallows by a High Court here for trafficking 2kg of methamphetamine.

Akbar Jafarishorestani Moham-mad, 32, looked sombre when the death sentence was meted out by High Court judge Justice Zamani Abdul Rahim.

Justice Zamani found him guilty of trafficking in 2,032.8gm of methamphetamine at the Penang Internatio-nal Airport at 11.30am on Jan 9 last year.

It was earlier reported that Akbar was arrested after Customs officers found a packet of drugs in the lining of a backpack in his possession.

In his judgment yesterday, Justice Zamani said Akbar’s defence was riddled with falsehood and half-truths.

“The accused has failed to cast reasonable doubt on the prosecution’s case,” he said.

DPPs Zuraidah Zakaria and Athirah Che Abu Bakar prosecuted while Akbar was represented by Gooi Soon Seng.

[leopard32]

July 4,

The High Court here today sentenced a Thai woman to death by hanging after finding her guilty of drug trafficking two years ago.

Judicial Commissioner Mohd Zaki Abdul Wahab meted out the sentence on Natcha Babkaew, 32, a food hawker.

Natcha was charged with trafficking 18,630 grammes of cannabis at a lane near the Bukit Kayu Hitam Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) Complex at 1.35 pm on Nov 19, 2010.

Mohd Zaki said Natcha's defence that she did not know that the bags she was carrying contained drugs was not credible as she was paid highly to deliver the bags.

"Generally, the accused did not deny she was carrying two bags from Bangkok which she had received from two African men for delivery to an African man in Changlun.

"Her claim that she did not know the contents of the bags so as to prove her innocence failed to create a reasonable doubt for the defence," Mohd Zaki said.

Natcha, who suffers from a hole in the heart and has an eight-year-old child, was charged under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 which provides for the mandatory death sentence upon conviction.

DPP Mohd Radzi Shah Ab. Razak appeared for the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) while Natcha was represented by Ai Cha Ran. – Bernama

[leopard32]

07/13



At the Shah Alam High Court, a jobless man was sentenced to death after he was found guilty of trafficking in 1,832 grammes of cannabis two years ago.

Judge Noor Azian Shaari meted out the sentence when the defence failed to raise a reasonable doubt in the prosecution's case.

Nor Faizal Mat, 32, was found guilty of trafficking in the drugs at 9.30 pm on August 19, 2010 .

The offence was committed in a Perodua Myvi in front of the Wai Fong Hardware, near the Selangor wholesale market in Sri Kembangan.

He was charged under section 39 B of the dangerous drugs act 1952 which carries the mandatory death penalty upon conviction.

[leopard32]

07/18

A Vietnamese woman was sent to the gallows by the Penang High Court for drug trafficking.

24 year old Nguyen Thanh Tuyet, was accused of smuggling 2 kilograms of syabu at the Penang International Airport, on June 26 last year.

Justice Mohamad Amin Firdaus rejected the woman's defence, which stated that the handbag containing the drugs, acutally belonged to her friend.

The accused broke into tears after being informed of the judgment, through an interpreter.

Defence counsel, Simon Murali said, his client will file an appeal, and appoint a new interpreter, after claiming that the present one had failed to translate her testimony properly.

[leopard32]

July 30

An Iranian mobile phone trader was sentenced to death by the High Court today after he was found guilty of trafficking 703.8 grammes methamphetamine, also known as syabu, last year.

Concluding that the defence had failed to raise a reasonable doubt on the case against him, Judge Kamardin Hashim added that Adel Zarabi, 40, had merely denied the charge.

"There's only one sentence under Section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 and so you are sentenced to death," said Kamardin.

Adel committed the offence in front of Sri Putramas 2, Royal Domain Condo, Jalan Putra Mas, Sentul here about 8.05 pm on March 20, 2011.

He was represented by Kamarul Hisham Kamaruddin and deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib prosecuted.