The Brunei Times/Asia News Network
Friday, Nov 09, 2012
BRUNEI - A Kenyan woman appeared at the Magistrate's Court yesterday charged with one count of importing 4.41 kilogrammes of methamphetamine into Brunei.
Caroline Awuor Omenda was arrested on October 24 at Brunei International Airport on a transit flight from Singapore to Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia. A package containing a crystalline substance was found hidden in the lining of her luggage.
Presiding Senior Magistrate Pg Masni Pg Hj Bahar granted prosecutor Attiyah Abas' application for the defendant to be remanded in custody for a further two weeks so the Department of Scientific Services could carry out drug tests on the defendant's urine and chemically analyse the seized crystalline substance.
During the hearing, Omenda asked the court to take into account the fact that she was HIV positive and had a child back home in Kenya.
Importing more than 50 grammes of methamphetamine, which is locally known as syabu, carries the death penalty.
The court yesterday scheduled another mention of the case on November 22.
Omenda has been transferred from the Central Police Station to Jerudong Prison until the next hearing.
