Australian nurse, Nigerian man charged with trafficking syabu
KUALA LUMPUR, July 31 — An Australian nurse and a Nigerian man were charged at the Magistrates Court here with trafficking methamphetamines, or syabu as it is known locally, weighing nearly one kilo, in front of a 24-hour convenience store at Jalan Sultan here, two weeks ago.
Emma Louise L’Aiguille, 34, from Perth and Anthony Esikalam Ndidi, 30, face charges under Section 39B(1)(A) and could be sentenced under Section 39B (2) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which carries the mandatory death sentence upon conviction.
No plea was recorded from both accused.
They allegedly committed the offence in front of a 7-Eleven at Jalan Sultan, Dang Wangi here about 3.30pm on July 17.
Senior counsel Datuk Seri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, who represented L’Aiguille, told the court that officers from the Australian High Commission had visited his client at the Dang Wangi District Police Station Headquarters two days after her arrest.
He said officers on duty at the police station had promised to refer the Australian woman to a medical doctor after she complained of a chest infection and severe depression.
However, Muhammad Shafee told magistrate Erry Shahriman Nor Aripin that no treatment was provided until today as assured to officials of the Australian Embassy.
He also informed the court that L’Aiguille’s written statement was in fact recorded in Malay even though investigation officers were trained to record such statements in English, especially cases involving foreigners.
The counsel (Muhammad Shafee) urged the court to instruct police and prison officers at the Kajang Women’s Prison to provide immediate treatment to L’aiguille while the request was granted by the magistrate who later fixed October 1, for mention of the case.
Outside the courtroom, Shafee told reporters that the accused was in Kuala Lumpur to visit her Nigerian boyfriend when she was detained.
“She was just asked to drive a car by her boyfriend on that day (July 17) and police stopped the car and brought her and two others to the police station on suspicion of drug trafficking,” Muhammad Shafee said.
Deputy public prosecutor S. Malini Anne led the prosecution while Ndidi was not represented. — Bernama
