Kenyan's Drug Trafficking Trial in Malaysia Postponed

Judith Achieng Odoyo

The High Court in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia yesterday postponed the trial of a Kenyan woman charged with trafficking in 3,747.63 grams of syabu as she would be undergoing surgery at a hospital here.

Justice Dato’ Abdul Rahman Sebli deferred the trial of Judith Achieng Odoyo, 30, to June 27 to 29 and July 16 to 18, this year upon the request of her assigned counsel Ram Singh.

When applying for postponement, Singh informed the court that Odoyo was due to be admitted into the Likas Women’s and Children’s Hospital to undergo a surgery.

“She has been diagnosed with fibroid and her operation is due tomorrow (today),” Singh said, adding that the accused should be admitted before 12.30pm to enable the hospital authority to prepare her for the surgery.

Deputy public prosecutor Mohd Radzi Shah Abdul Razak told the court that he had no objection to the application to enable the accused to be admitted into the hospital.

The court however issued an order for Singh to tender a letter from the hospital to confirm the matter.

Singh duly tendered the letter confirming that the accused needed to be admitted to the hospital as she had been planned for elective surgery (today) to the court during its proceedings in the afternoon.

Odoyo from Kenya, allegedly trafficked the drug at the passenger examination special unit at Terminal 1 of the Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) about 8.45am on September 1 Read that story here: Kenyan Woman Charged With Drug Trafficking in Malaysia, Faces Mandatory Death Sentence).

She is charged under Section 39B (1) (a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 which provides for the mandatory death sentence by hanging upon conviction.

The prosecution would be calling 10 witnesses to testify against Odoyo during the trial.

The accused has been remanded in custody ever since the date of her arrest since drug trafficking is a non-bailable offence.

Source: BorneoPostOnline.com