KUALA LUMPUR: Australian Emma L'Aiguille, a 34-year-old mother of 6 had been accused of trafficking drugs in Malaysia and potentially faced the death penalty as a result. But her charges were dropped by Malaysian authorities late last week in a move likely to boost relations between Canberra and Kuala Lumpur. L'Aiguille's four-month jail nightmare ended on Friday, when prosecutors stunningly dropped drug trafficking charges against her. “I feel great and am so glad that I'm free,” she told the Herald Sun as she walked to freedom outside the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex. “I've learned a lot of things and not to take life for granted.” She also vowed to use her second chance to forge bonds with her children and family. “I'm going to use this to get closer to my family,” she said. The woman was released after her defense apparently had successfully argued there was no evidence she had any knowledge of the drugs. In Malaysia, anyone found in possession of 50 grams of a drug or more is considered to be a trafficker, an offense for which the death sentence is mandatory. Another Australian was detained and charged with trafficking in March. The man, Dominic Bird, has pleaded not guilty and his trial is scheduled to begin in November. While there is hope that he will be freed, history suggests foreigners get little reprieve from the Malaysian justice system. The woman was arrested with a Nigerian man on suspicion of attempting to sell over one kilogram of methamphetamine. Police officials had told Bikyamasr.com that the couple was arrested after police became suspicious of their vehicle and approached them, only to discover the drugs in the car. The Nigerian man has not been identified.
