Kuala Lumpur, May 30 (News On Japan) - A Japanese woman who was sentenced to death for smuggling methamphetamine into Malaysia has had her sentence reduced to 30 years in prison by a Malaysian court.
Mariko Takeuchi, 50, was arrested and charged in 2009 when she arrived at a Malaysian airport from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, with methamphetamine hidden in her luggage.
Although her death sentence was initially confirmed, her lawyer announced on May 29 that the court had reduced her sentence to 30 years in prison.
Last year, Malaysia abolished the mandatory death penalty for certain serious crimes, including drug trafficking, allowing Takeuchi to appeal for a retrial.
Takeuchi is reportedly in good spirits and looking forward to returning to Japan.
Source: ANN