KUALA LUMPUR, Dec. 27 (Xinhua) -- A 54-year-old Australian woman was cleared of drug trafficking charges on Wednesday by the Malaysian high court and thus escaped the mandatory capital punishment.
According to media reports, a Malaysian judge ruled that Maria Elvira Pinto Exposto, a mother of four, did not know about the drugs in her bag when she was arrested at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Dec. 7, 2014. The judge said the defendant did not try to evade airport search at the airport.
At that time, customs officers discovered 1.1 kg of methamphetamine in her backpack. But Exposto claimed she was tricked into a romance scam, during which she was asked to carry the bag to Kuala Lumpur and then to Melboure.
Exposto will be deported immediately, according to the judge.
According to anti-drug laws of Malaysia, anyone caught with carrying drugs exceeding 50 grams will face drug-trafficking charges punishable by death.
Malaysian lawmakers voted on Nov. 30 to remove the mandatory death penalty for drug offences, but the changes have not take effect.
