Ghanaian to hang in Malaysia

A Malaysian High Court has sentenced a Ghanaian trader to death by hanging after being found guilty of trafficking in half a kilo of heroin in Kedah four years ago, reports the Free Press.

Emmanuel Yaw Tieku, 41, was arrested with 515.7g of heroin at about 11.30 am on December 13, 1997.

The Free Press story culled from the July 25, 2001 edition of The Sun, a Malaysian newspaper, said the offence as charge, under Malaysia's Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 carries the mandatory death sentence upon conviction.

Tieku was detained when he entered Malaysia through the Customs and Immigration Complex at Bukit Kayu Hitam bordering Thailand on December 13, 1997.

Malaysian Customs were suspicious of Tieku when they found four Imodium and 10 Motillium pills, used to prevent or enable one to clean the bowels in his trouser pockets. Tieku was taken to Jitra Hospital and 84 capsules of heroine were recovered from his stool.

During the trial, he claimed that he thought the contents of the capsules were gold dust.

The trial judge Datuk Alauddin Mohammed Sheriff said Tieku's reluctance to have an x-ray at the hospital clearly showed that he was aware of the contents in the capsules.

"If the accused had previously brought in gold dust, he would surely know the difference in weight between gold dust and that of other items", he said.

Before his arrest, Tieku had entered Malaysia on September 4, 1997 and October 23, 1997 also via Kayu Hitam carrying with him what he claimed was gold dust.