2 Indians sentenced to death in Malaysia for drug trafficking

Two Indian nationals have been sentenced to death by two separate Malaysian High Courts for trafficking in 12 kilogram of ketamine drug, reports said on Tuesday.

In the first case, the High Court in Kuala Lumpur sentenced Samad Mohamad Sulthan, to death for trafficking in 3.9 kg of  ketamine at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport two years ago, national news agency Bernama said.

Judge Siti Mariah Ahmad found Samad, a 44-year-old trader, guilty of trafficking in the drug on February 25, 2009. The drugs were found in a jewellery box which Samad was carrying.

Mariah said that in his defence, Samad had told the court that he received an order from a Malaysian trader by the name of Jaafar for some goods from India but he failed to call Jaafar to testify.

Samad said he had wanted to cancel his trip to Malaysia as he could not find the goods but was told by another friend identified as Ismail in Mumbai to take some things to   Malaysia, for which he was paid Rs 6000. Samad claimed he did not check the goods.

Mariah said she found it illogical that Samad, as a businessman, bought a ticket on February 24, 2009, to fly top Malaysia the next day without knowing the goods he was to deliver nor the person who would receive the item.

In the second case, the Kota Baru High Court sentenced Indian national Mukthar Shaker Aslien of Chennai to death for trafficking in more than 8 kg of ketamine at the Sultan  Ismail Petra Airport at Pengkalan Chepa town two years ago.

Judge Azman Abdullah found 53-year-old Mukthar Shaker guilty, after ruling that the accused could not convince that he did not know about the drugs he was carrying, New Staits Times said.

When asked, Shaker replied "I don't know," implying he had no knowledge about the substance. "If the court accepts the phrase 'I don't know' as defence, then all drug traffickers can get ready with the same phrase," the judge said adding that the accused's claim that he did not know who would collect the two bags he as carrying was unacceptable.

"If it is true that what he was carrying were just picture frames, why was the name of the recipient and phone number not given? If the recipient of the bags failed to arrive at the airport, who would he contact?" said Azman.

Mukthar Shaker was charged with trafficking in 8,488g of ketamine at the passenger's counter of the airport on July 5, 2009