Malaysia court frees Australian grandmother in drugs case

Malaysia court frees Australian grandmother in drugs case

Australian Maria Elvira Pinto Exposto, centre, is escorted by police during a court hearing at Shah Alam High Court in Shah Alam, Malaysia on Dec 27, 2017. Malaysia's top appeals court on Tuesday acquitted Exposto who faced the death penalty in a drugs case. (AP file photo)
Australian Maria Elvira Pinto Exposto, centre, is escorted by police during a court hearing at Shah Alam High Court in Shah Alam, Malaysia on Dec 27, 2017. Malaysia's top appeals court on Tuesday acquitted Exposto who faced the death penalty in a drugs case. (AP file photo)

PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia: Malaysia's top appeals court on Tuesday acquitted an Australian grandmother who faced the death penalty in a drugs case, her lawyer said.

Defence lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah said Australian national Maria Elvira Pinto Exposto was immediately taken into immigration custody.

Exposto was first exonerated by the High Court in 2017 on grounds that she didn't know there were 1.5 kilogrammes of crystal methamphetamine in her bag when she was arrested in December 2014 at Kuala Lumpur's international airport.

But the appeals court last year overturned the lower court's acquittal.

Her lawyer said he is now applying for her release.

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