NIGERIAN DRUG TRAFFICKER ESCAPES THE DEATH PENALTY IN MALAYSIA AS HIS APPEAL IS UPHELD

A Malaysian Court of Appeal on Tuesday, 8th March upheld the appeal filed by a 31 year old Nigerian, Abuchi Ngwoke against the death penalty handed down to him by a Malaysian High Court for traafficking 251.66 grammes of methamphetamine into Malaysia in May 2012.
Abuchi Ngwoke was arrested at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on May 23rd, 2012 and was taken to the Melaka General Hospital where the precious stones he swallowed tested positive for methamphetamine.

He was subsequently sentenced to death. Abuchi's counsel, Hisyam Teh Poh Teik filed an appeal on his behalf with the argument that Abuchi didnot know that the precious stones handed over to him by his Nigerian friend, Chibike was laced with 251.66 grammes of methamphetamine.

The Malaysian Court of Appeal saw merits on the issues raised by Abuchi's counsel and upturned his death sentence and reduced it to 20 years imprisonment with 10 strokes of whipping with the commencement date of his jail sentence be date of arrest which is May 23rd 2012.