27 Dec 2017

Australian woman could face death penalty

10:47 am on 27 December 2017

A 54-year-old Australian woman could be sentenced to death if convicted of drug trafficking by a Malaysian court today.

Australian woman Maria Elvira Pinto Exposto (L) is escorted by Malaysian customs officials as she arrives at the Magistrate Court in Sepang on March 26, 2015. The case of an Australian woman facing a possible death sentence for drug trafficking in Malaysia was delayed again on March 26.

Australian woman Maria Elvira Pinto Exposto (L) is escorted by Malaysian customs officials as she arrives at the Magistrate Court in Sepang on March 26, 2015. The case of an Australian woman facing a possible death sentence for drug trafficking in Malaysia was delayed again on March 26. Photo: AFP

Maria Exposto, from Sydney, was caught with 1.5 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine at Kuala Lumpur international airport in 2014.

She said she was tricked into carrying the drugs by a man she met online.

Malaysia has a mandatory death penalty for drug trafficking cases.

Judges will be given discretion to hand down other penalties some time in 2018.

- ABC News