Iranian Trader Gets Death For Drug Trafficking

KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama) - The High Court here Friday sentenced an
Iranian carper trader to death after he was found guilty of trafficking in 7,515gm of methamphetamine last year.

Justice Ghazali Cha ordered the sentence on Hossein Nsiri Zahed,
50, after finding that the defence had failed to raise reasonable doubts against
the prosecution's case.

Hossein was charged with committing the offence with Omid Lashkari Mojtaba,
who had been released, by the roadside leading to Pantai Hill Park, Pantai Dalam
here about 4.40pm on March 9, 2010.

(Omid was released by the same court last Jan 6 after finding that the
prosecution had failed to establish a strong case against him.)

Ghazali, in his judgment, said that Hossein had not denied that the red bag
which contained the drug was with him when police arrested him in a taxi.

He said that Hossein, in his defence, stated that the bag was not his, but
he had brought it from Iran to be handed over to one Ali Reza.

Questions arose as to who was Ali Reza because the character only surfaced
during the defence and not at the prosecution stage, and if he did exist, why
was he not called as a defence witness, he added.

Ghazali said Hossein's knowledge on the serial number of the bag could also
not be ignored.

"What is the use of the serial number to the accused if the bag is not to be
handed to him," he said.

Deputy public prosecutor Mohd Mukhzany Fariz Mohd Mokhtar appeared for the
prosecution, while Hossein was represented by lawyer N. Sivanathan.