Nepali worker gets death penalty in Malaysia

The Malaysian Supreme Court has handed down death sentence to Hari Bahadur Ghale, a Nepali worker who was arrested in possession of narcotic drug in 2003 and had been in prison since then.

Announcing the verdict Tuesday, the apex court upheld the High Court's decision to give him death penalty. Ghale had filed an appeal at the Supreme Court against the High Court verdict.

He was arrested by Malaysian police from his room at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur on May 30, 2003 while returning to Nepal after working there for three years. The police had recovered 875g heroin from his bag, which he claimed belonged to Ganesh Tamang, another Nepali national. Tamang had fled the hotel.

Another Nepali national, Sajan Gurung, who was arrested along with Ghale, had died in Malaysia while undergoing treatment two years ago.

Meanwhile, the Nepali embassy in Malaysia said that Ghale was eligible for a pardon from death penalty from the Malaysian head of state if he filed an appeal. However, he will have to serve full jail sentence. nepalnews.com