As reported by NewStraits Times, the Judicial Commissioner Mohd Zaki Abdul Wahab ruled that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt against John Amaechi Eze.
In his judgment, Zaki said the accused claimed he was waiting to board an express bus at a restaurant in front of the Lye Huat Garden hall when he was arrested by police. However, he said the court did not believe his claim that he did not own the luggage when witnesses had testified that he was with the luggage all the time.
His sentencing has elicited a range of reactions and warnings to Nigerians against trafficking drugs in countries where the stated penalty for such an offence is the death sentence.
A Nigerian blogger, Ola, who lives in Malaysia and blogs at www.madameaproko.blogspot.com shared this experience of living in Malaysia after the sentencing and warned against trafficking drugs. It is quite an interesting read:
Now, for anyone harboring thoughts of trafficking drugs to this country, this is what you get. It beats me why someone would risk their life, by taking banned substance to this racist shit hole called Malaysia, because when issued a visa, it is clearly stated that the punishment for drug trafficking in Malaysia is death.
To be fair and honest to Malaysia, there are some very nice and
wonderful people out there, but they are greatly outnumbered by the
bigots among them. I live and study in Malaysia and I’ve observed a bias
pattern in judicial procedures and policing as regards drug trafficking
and crime prevention.
My assertions are based on my day to day experience and observation
as a resident. I have no statistical analysis of the Nigerian
population living in Malaysia neither do I have the exact figures or
nationality of the number of cases prosecuted by the Malaysian
judiciary.
From the Nigerian side, The easterners (Igbos) out-number other
ethnic groups within the Nigerian community here. That’s why most
Nigerians you meet are from the east. A lot (of) Nigerians you meet are
not in Malaysia to study, though they are enrolled in one college or
another, they are semi-illiterates or outright illiterates, very lousy,
brash and arrogant (for reasons I don’t understand). Then we have the
stranded group who were duped by travel agents into thinking the pasture
in Malaysia is greener.
In short, You meet criminals of all shapes, size and age. They just
sleep, eat, wake up, and hope the next Maga pays. They are so much,
you’ll think all Nigerians living in Malaysia are criminals, but we have
bright students doing well and graduating in Malaysian Universities, we
have gainfully employed graduates trained by Malaysians themselves
(few) and business men and women doing legitimate business exporting
goods to and from Nigeria (also few compared to the population of the
Nigerian community).
But the Yahoo boys and drug traffickers are so high in number it
seems they’ve all relocated from Nigeria to Malaysia. Conditions here
favour them.
Basic infrastructure is great here compared to what we have in
Nigeria. 24 hours electricity, running water, well laid roads,
affordable high speed internet, compact 3/4 bedroom apartment,
affordable furniture, little or no scrutiny on international remittance
etc. Malaysia is a Yahoo Boy’s paradise.
Though, most foreigners especially new comers call them
(Malaysians) lazy and stupid (I still don’t get the rationale behind
that).
On the Malaysian side, you’ll meet the Malay Supremacist.
A Muslim, religious bigot, loud, aggressive and assertive. He (male
and female) hates Jews and despises Christians. He wants to protect the
“sanctity” of Islam, State resources are at his disposal. His opinion
and interest supercedes that of others.
His ancestors are the first settlers in Peninsular Malaysia. His
interpretation of the Islamic text dictates and guides the Muslim
community and some times the whole nation. His favourite question when
he meets you for the first time in class or anywhere is “Are you
Muslim?”. He runs the country and he knows it.
Then we have the Chinese Chauvinist, a business tycoon/ hard
working student. Drives flashy cars, he believes his race is the best.
He is rich and he has read stories of Nigerians using Malaysian girls as
drug mules, black/chemical money stories; he has meet or read of
stranded Nigerians who loiter around Kuala-Lumpur begging for money
(these stranded guys don’t shower, so they stink).
He cringes when you happen to be in the same elevator, crosses to
the other side of the road when you are walking towards each other and
always thinks you need something from him any time you try to talk to
him. He has held on to so many Nigerian horrible stories and thinks
every Nigerian is like that.
Then, we have the Angry Indian, always pissed and mean-mugging you.
He has been discriminated against so much that even his language is not
included in the country’s ATM machine (LMAO). He is always trying to
pick fights with you and the first comment he makes is “THIS IS MY
COUNTRY!”. He’ll smash his crash helmet on you at the slightest
provocation or stab you. He also reads of atrocities committed by
Nigerians and sees you as a threat.
So, living in Malaysia has made me a racism connoisseur of sought.
In fact, I have become so sensitive that I believe I can tell if an
individual is racist within a few seconds of being around them. There
are people in Malaysia whose sole purpose in life is just to ruin your
day. Racism in Malaysia is perfect. It is subtle when it needs to be and
brass when necessary.
As a foreigner you might be misled into thinking Malaysia is a
boring place and no one gives a damn about you, so you can do what ever
you like and get away with it. No, you are seriously mistaken. Malaysia
sometimes feels like the North-Korea we watch on T.V. Some citizens are
very nosy and they watch and observe every move you make. I read a news
article some weeks ago that says about 80% of Police personnel don’t do
normal Policing but rather, spy and gather intelligence.
So, my point is this. Malaysia is a tightly controlled society
where the authorities decide what business prospers, whether legal or
illegal. Elements within the police control the drug trade, the
distributors are under their command and they arrest them when it’s
politically needed to unite the country against a common enemy. We hear
of stories of Iranian and Arab drug traffickers who are quietly deported
and warned never to return to Malaysia but other nationalities are
shown off as trophy in front of news men who broadcast and publish
sensational news headlines.
South-east Asian countries are united against drug trafficking and
they hold meetings regularly to discuss new strategies on deterrent,
Death (rolls eyes).
So, it baffles me why people still take the risks John Amaechi Eze
was sentenced on January 22; a British Grand mother Lindsay Sandiford
was also sentenced to death on the same day in Indonesia. In the year
2008, two Nigerians were executed in Indonesia and one in Singapore.
Nigerians, please stop trying to bring drugs into Malaysia.
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