Singaporean gets chance to overturn death sentence

PUTRAJAYA - A Singaporean who was sentenced to death, early this year, for drug trafficking was successful before the Court of Appeal in her application to introduce fresh evidence to overturn her conviction.

Noor Atiqah M. Lasim will now be able to adduce crucial evidence of a preventive detention order on a Ghanaian, believed to be the trafficker, which could be considered to prove her innocence.

A three-man panel led by Datuk Low Hop Bing unanimously allowed Noor Atiqah's motion after hearing submissions.

Low directed the trial judge in the High Court to record the additional evidence relating to the detention order of Nartey Stanley, who is being held for two years under the Dangerous Drugs Act (Special Preventive Measures) 1985.

Noor Atiqah, 26, will return to the High Court in Shah Alam for her case to be mentioned on Oct 6 before the trial judge.

Noor Atiqah was found guilty, on March 18, of trafficking in 370gm of heroin and monoacetylmorphines at the Low Cost Carrier Terminal in Sepang on Jan 5, 2009.

Gobind Singh Deo, who appeared for Noor Atiqah, said his client was detained after the drugs were recovered in a bag.

Noor Atiqah claimed that the drugs belonged to Stanley but the High Court had rejected her defence as there was nothing before the trial judge then to connect the Ghanian.

Gobind had, before the Court of Appeal, produced a detention order detailing how the Home Ministry had alleged that Stanley was operating a drug trafficking syndicate and used mules for his clandestine activities.

Gobind said it was a fact that police had picked Stanley up for questioning a few hours after Noor Atiqah was detained.

Both were initially charged with trafficking. However the charge against Stanley was dropped before trial commenced.