FILIPINO GETS TWO AND HALF YEARS' JAIL FOR BRINGING DRUG IN TRANSIT AT KLIA

SHAH ALAM, Oct 9 (Bernama) -- A Filipina who was duped by her African
boyfriend, who she befriended on the Internet and later fathered her baby, into
carrying drugs was sentenced to two and half years' jail by the High Court here
today after she pleaded guilty to bringing in the contraband while on transit at
the KL International Airport (KLIA) last year.

Charlene Boholst Zabala, 25, gave birth to her son while in remand at Kajang
Prison. She was seven moths pregnant when arrested.

She was charged under Section 21 (6) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 with
bringing in 371gm of cocaine to Malaysia while on transit at the KLIA from
Buenos-Aires, Argentina to the Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam at about 9am on Oct 9
last year.

Judge Siti Mariah Ahmad ordered Zabala to serve the sentence from the
date of her arrest.

Earlier in mitigation, lawyer K.A.Ramu, who represented Zabala, said his
client was duped by her boyfriend to carry the drug and that she was nursing her
child in prison.



Deputy public prosecutor Ridha Abdah Subri asked for a deterrent sentence as
an example to others.

She said Zabala was not an innocent carrier because she was aware of the
presence of the drug.

The drug was found inside the lining of a jacket found inside a handbag
Zabala was carrying.

-- BERNAMA