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Indonesia | 14 years on death row: Timeline of Mary Jane Veloso’s ordeal and fight for justice

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MANILA, Philippines — The case of Mary Jane Veloso, a Filipina on death row in Indonesia for drug trafficking, has spanned over a decade and remains one of the most high-profile legal battles involving an overseas Filipino worker. Veloso was arrested on April 25, 2010, at Adisucipto International Airport in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, after she was found in possession of more than 2.6 kilograms of heroin. She was sentenced to death in October – just six months after her arrest. Indonesia’s Supreme Court upheld the penalty in May 2011.

Malaysia: man sentenced to hang

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September 21, 2008: the High Court of Malaysia sentenced a self-employed man to hang after finding him guilty of murdering a blacksmith, but freed two of his friends of the same charge.

Justice Datuk Wan Adenan Muhamad said the court did not have any option except sending Khairul Anuar Zakaria, 48, to the gallows as he had failed to cast reasonable doubts to the prosecution's case.

Khairul was convicted of murdering Chuah Leng Hai, 38, at the backroom of house No. 46, Taman Datuk Kumbar, between 5am and 6.35am on June 4, 2001.

The judge said: "According to the first accused's testimony, the second accused (Ariffin Ahmad, 47) and third accused (Muhammad Zaidi Mohd Salleh, 42), were not involved because they were asleep during the incident so there is reasonable doubt and they are acquitted and discharged."

The prosecution was conducted by Deputy Public Prosecutor Murtazadi Amran while G. Ravishankar represented Khairul and Burhanudeen Abdul Wahid for Ariffin and Azidi.

Before the sentencing, Khairul told the court that he did not intend to kill Chuah and was merely defending himself. He also apologised to Chuah's family.

Sources: Bernama Daily Malaysian News, 21/09/2008
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