November 29 2013
A Malaysian court has sentenced an Iranian school principal to death for bringing drugs into the country.
But the judge did not agree that the principal’s wife was equally to blame and sentenced her to prison.
The couple was arrested on arrival at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) two years ago.
Judge Datuk Ahmadi Asnawi handed down the sentences after finding that the prosecution had failed to establish a case against Soraiya Mosafer Mardali, 32, but concluding the defense by her husband, Kazem Hamidpoor Abolghasem, 33, failed to raise reasonable doubts about the prosecution’s case.
Judge Ahmadi said he amended the charge against Soraiya because the prosecution failed to establish that she had trafficked in the drug that was found in her baggage.
He sentenced Soraiya to 14 years in prison after amending her charge from drug trafficking to drug possession.
The New Straits Times reported that Judge Ahmadi also said Soraiya was lucky because women are exempted from Malaysia’s whipping punishment.
Soraiya was convicted of possession of 890 grams (two pounds) of methamphetamines while her husband was convicted of trafficking in 440.28 grams (almost one pound) of methamphetamines.
Her lawyer, Hasshahari Johari Mawi, asked that his client not be sentenced to a long jail term as the cost would have to be borne by Malaysian taxpayers.
He also said Soraiya was remorseful and regretted her action, which had also destroyed her marriage.
Meanwhile, another court sentenced a taxi driver, also an Iranian, to death for trafficking in drugs he brought into Malaysia three years ago. Mikaeil Safari, 39, was charged with trafficking in 752.8 grams (more than 1-1/2 pounds) of methamphetamines found on him at the airport November 15, 2010.