DEATH PENALTY: Two Iranians, Ali Jalayeridarbandi Mousa, 26 (front) and an engineer Vahid Aliakbarsadeghabadi Abbas, 29 (back left) escorted by police after being sentenced to death by the High Court. — Bernama photo
SHAH ALAM: Two Iranian men were sentenced to death by the High Court here yesterday after they were found guilty of trafficking in methamphetamine, strapped to their legs, via the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) in Sepang, two years ago.
Judge Datuk Ahmadi Asnawi concluded that Ali Jalayeridarbandi Mousa, 26, and Vahid Aliakbarsadeghabadi Abbas, 29, failed to raise reasonable doubt on the case against them.
He further found that testimonies by witnesses did not corroborate their defence of the drugs being for personal use.
“Therefore, there’s only one sentence which can be meted out for this offence, that is, the mandatory death penalty,” he said.
Ali, a cobbler, and Vahid, an engineer, were each caught trafficking in 203.9g and 269.6 g of methamphetamine at the arrival hall of the main KLIA terminal about 3.45 pm on Dec 12, 2010.
There were charged under Section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 which carries the mandatory death penalty.
Six prosecution and four defence witnesses were called on to testify throughout the trial. Malaysian Royal Customs deputy public prosecutor Rozanna Abd Hadi prosecuted, while Leonard Anselm Gomes represented Ali and Datuk N Sivananthan appeared for Vahid. — Bernama