REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The judge at Putrajaya Higher Court, Malaysia, has released two Indonesian workers from death penalty in the case of drug possession, according to information from Indonesian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, received here on Wednesday.

Azhar bin Zakaria and Ismail bin Ibrahim were caught by the Malaysian police last May 2012. Both were detained after police found 20 kg of Cannabis in the trunk of a car used by Azhar and Ibrahim.

According to previous trial at the Malaysian High Court, both defendants were sentenced to death for drug possession. The defendants then appealed to the Higher Court arguing that there were different version of the arrest process between the police and the defendants. The defendants' lawyer further added that the prosecutor, during previous trial, had failed to show the physical evidence in the case, namely the car used by the defendants during the time of the arrest.

Considering the lawyer's argument, the judge at Putrajaya Higher Court gave the verdict that the case against Azhar and Ibrahim could not be proceeded due to lack of evidence.

Responding to the dismissal of death sentence to the two Indonesian workers, the Indonesian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur is currently processing the repatriation of both the workers.

Up till now, 167 Indonesians have been freed from death sentence in Malaysia while another 181 are currently awaiting the legal proceedings for their cases.

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