Beatrice’s mum prays for lenient punishment

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KUCHING: The mother of Beatrice Laus Johie said she accepted her daughter’s decision to plead guilty to a charge of trying to import a marketable quantity of drugs.

Pauline Durip, 49, said the family would leave it to the court to decide but prayed that a lenient sentence would be imposed.

“We have been informed about her admission of guilt by the Malaysian Consul-General in Melbourne on Monday and we respect her decision.

“Hopefully, a lighter sentence will be imposed on her during the delivery of judgment on Feb 1,” she said when met at the family home in Kampung Seratau, Mile 15 Kuching-Serian Road on Monday.

Beatrice, a mother of three pleaded guilty on Monday to a charge of importing drug to Melbourne, Australia, after her lawyer made a plea bargain with the prosecutor that if she pleaded guilty to one charge, the other one would be dropped.

It was also reported that her lawyer, provided by the Legal Aid, had also negotiated with the prosecutor that when the sentence handed down on Feb 1, it would not be more than one year.

Beatrice was detained at Melbourne Airport by Australian Customs officers with about 1.5kg of heroin in her luggage when she arrived at the country by AirAsia on Nov 6 last year.

Describing her daughter as unfortunate for being set up by her Nigerian boyfriend, Pauline hoped that her daughter will be remorseful after the incident.

“We keep in touch through the phone once a week. She will call us asking about her sons and siblings,” she said in between tears.

When contacted yesterday Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Richard Riot refrained from giving any comment as the case was still pending.