GEORGE TOWN: A High Court here has freed a 23-year-old Ukrainian woman of allegedly trafficking in 1.54kg of cocaine at the Penang International Airport almost two years ago.Judicial Commissioner Datuk Abdul Wahab ruled Friday (Dec 15) that the prosecution failed to prove a prima facie case against Lopatkina Klavdiia.He said there were contradicting statements given by the chemist and other discrepancies which cast doubts on the case.He acquitted and discharged her on Friday without calling for her defence.Lopatkina was charged with committing the offence at the domestic arrival hall of the airport on Dec 31, 2015, at 11am.It was reported that the police recovered the cocaine wrapped in colourful wrappers kept in four chocolate tin boxes placed in two plastic bags for duty-free items.The offence under Section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 and punishable under Section 39B(2) of the same Act carries the mandatory death penalty upon conviction.Lopatkina was represented by Datuk N. Sivananthan and Low Huey Theng.

Source: The Star December 15, 2017 10:18 UTC