MALAYSIA: ZAMBIAN FEMALE STUDENT SENTENCED TO DEATH

June 8, 2012: The Malaysian High Court sentenced a Zambian female student to death for drug trafficking.
Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) spokesperson Samuel Silomba says the commission is yet to get communication from Malaysia.
Judge Noor Azian Shaari sentenced Doreen Nachilongo, 25, after finding her guilty of trafficking in 1,327.4gm of methamphetamine at the arrival hall of the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang at 15:00 hours in February last year.
According to the New Straits Times of Malaysia, Judge Shaari said she found Nachilongo’s defence unreasonable. The accused had claimed the drugs were planted in her bag.
Nachilongo said in her defence that she was held up by immigration officers for eight hours and only collected her bag after she was released.
The judge, however, said from the manner in which the drugs were concealed, it was impossible that the drugs could have been planted.
The drugs were found deep inside her bag in a compartment that was glued to avoid detection. Nachilongo had also claimed she was looking for a job in Malaysia and yet she had a return ticket to Zambia a week later.
The judge said the defence failed to raise reasonable doubt in the prosecution’s case.
Deputy public prosecutor Suzana Abd Latiff prosecuted while counsel Amrit Pal Singh represented the accused. Seven witnesses testified in the trial.
And Mr Silomba said he will avail more information on the sentencing of Nachilongo tomorrow after communicating with the Zambian embassy in Malaysia.
He, however, said he knew of Nachilongo’s arrest last year. (Sources: daily-mail.co.zm, 10/06/2012)