Foray murder trial: Trader sentenced to death

KUANTAN: Trader Asni Omar has been sentenced to death for the murder of French tourist Stephanie Foray on Pulau Tioman in 2011.

High Court judge Justice Mariana Yahya on Wednesday sentenced Asni Omar, 39, to death after finding his defence had failed to prove his case beyond reasonable doubt.

Justice Marina said Asni had given a number of reasons, while testifying from the witness stand, to show that he was not involved in the death of Foray, however, these were held to be mere denials.

“I find that the accused’s story was well arranged to show he was innocent. However, it only served to weaken his own defence. Therefore, I pronounce him guilty as charged,” she said.

Asni was charged with murdering Foray at an unnumbered house in Kampung Tekek, Pulau Tioman, between 8pm on May 10 and noon on May 12, 2011.

Foray, 30, had arrived in Malaysia in May 2011 on a trip through several countries. She took a ferry to Tioman five days later and disappeared shortly afterwards.

Her partially mummified remains were found three months later buried in a cave on the island.