SHAH ALAM: A Nigerian man, who swallowed 48 methamphetamine capsules, and was caught at KL International Airport in 2012 was sentenced to nine years in prison and 10 strokes of the cane.
Camara Jean Guineenne, 32, pleaded guilty to an alternative charge under the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952. High Court judge Noor Azian Shaari ordered him to serve the sentence from the date of his arrest on Feb 13 2012.
In her judgement, Noor Azian said: "I'm not a scientist or doctor but based on media reports, the drug capsules you swallowed could have burst in your stomach and killed you. Your family might have lost you."
She told the accused that he was lucky to have escaped the gallows after the prosecution accepted his lawyer's representation and offered him the alternative charge.
"You must thank your lucky stars...with this custodial sentence you can (eventually) return home and see your twins," she said.
Guineenne was initially charged under Section 39B (1)(A) of the same Act with possessing 367.9 grammes of methamphetamine at level 3 of the KLIA about 10.40 pm on Feb 13 2012. The charge carries the mandatory death penalty.
His lawyer V. Jayamurugan had earlier applied for a lesser sentence on the basis that Guineenne was married and had a pair of two-year-old twins back home.
Deputy public prosecutor Khairunnisa Hazwani Omar urged the court to mete a deterrent sentence as a matter of public interest. - Bernama
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