MALAYSIA CONFLICTING EVIDENCE SAVES TWO ON DEATH ROW

conflicting evidence in two Malaysian drug trafficking trials saw the accused's charges reduced from death to jail for possession. Law Chaw Keong, 37, was caught in possession of 55.4kg of ganja at a house in Taman Timor, Johor Baru on Aug 1, 1997. In 2000, the High Court sentenced him to death. The judges agreed with Law's Counsel that there was a difference of 10.7kg in the weight of the drugs when two police officers gave evidence during trial. Siau was in possession of 49.37gm of heroin and mono-acetlymorphine at a rubber smallholding in Ulu Tiram, Johor on Jan 26, 1999. On Sept 23, 2004, the High Court sentenced him to death despite a difference of 13g in the weight of the drugs in two pieces of evidence presented.