Pubdate: Sun, 26 Nov 2006
Source: New Straits Times (Malaysia)
Copyright: 2006 NST Online
Contact:  http://www.nst.com.my/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3734
Author: Jed  Yoong,  Mazlinda Mahmood

ONE OF FOUR FOREIGN STUDENTS CAUGHT WITH GANJA IS  DAUGHTER OF FORMER
KENYAN PARLIAMENTARIAN

The daughter of a former Kenyan Member of Parliament is  one of the 
four foreign students facing the death  penalty after they were 
caught in possession of 4kg of  ganja recently.

Joe Donde and his family were expecting a joyous  Christmas as his 
daughter, Deborah, was due home this  week for the holidays.

Instead, their plans are now in tatters after Deborah,  a second-year 
college student here, was caught with the  other three students when 
police raided a condominium  in Cyberjaya.

According to the Kenyan newspaper 'The Standard',  Deborah's mother 
has since flown to Malaysia to appeal  for her release.

She was quoted as saying that her daughter might have  found herself 
in the company of friends who could be  drug users.

The newspaper also reported that Joe has taken the  Kenyan Foreign 
Affairs Minister Raphael Tuju to task  for allegedly keeping silent 
over Deborah's arrest.

"My daughter could be innocent. She could be guilty. I  do not know. 
But what is the minister doing to get the  facts?" Joe was quoted as 
saying in the newspaper.

On Nov 18, a team of policemen from the Narcotics  department of the 
Sepang police headquarters arrested  Deborah, another Kenyan student, 
a Saudi Arabian and an  Eritrean at the Cyberia Condominium in 
Cyberjaya. The  students are between 18 and 22 years old.

The seized ganja were found in the form of four slabs  while some 
were contained in small plastic packets.

Sepang police chief Superintendent Zahedi Ayob had said  that the 
estimated market value of the drugs was  RM7,000.

Early police investigations revealed that the ganja  were most likely 
meant to be sold to fellow students.

Deborah's former classmate, who refused to be named,  expressed shock 
over her arrest. "She is a nice girl,"  the classmate said.

Zahedi, meanwhile, said police are trying to determine  if the four 
students were part of a syndicate. Their  remand order, which was 
supposed to have expired last  Friday, has been extended to Monday.

It was also reported in 'The Standard' that at least  two teams of 
lawyers have been retained to defend  Deborah should she be charged.

The newspaper also quoted Kenyan embassy sources in  Kuala Lumpur as 
saying that the family of the other  Kenyan student had also made contact.
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MAP posted-by: Elaine