Speaker Ratu Epeli visits Fijian prisoner jailed in Malaysia’s capital

Speaker of the House Ratu Epeli Nailatikau, visited Fijian national Christin Nirmal at the Kajang Women’s Prison in Kuala Lumpur last Friday.

Ratu Epeli was returning from his medical check-up in Thailand and stopped over in Kuala Lumpur for the visit.

This is Ratu Epeli’s fourth visit since Ms Nirmal was apprehended in 2015 for alleged drug trafficking. She was convicted in 2018, but was sparred the death penalty. She is serving a life sentence.

Officials from the Fiji High Commission in Kuala Lumpur said Nirmal was overjoyed when she was advised of Ratu Epeli’s visit and vividly remembered his last visit in 2017. On his return in 2017, Ratu Epeli, who was then-President, had requested the Ministry of Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation to assist Nirmal’s family, in particular with her children’s education.

Nirmal confirmed that they are still receiving the assistance.

Ratu Epeli said Nirmal was in good spirits and was looking forward to the Christmas celebration in prison. She has been greatly encouraged by the recent acquittal of an Australian national – also for drug trafficking – whose conviction was overturned by the Federal Court when it quashed her earlier conviction by a lower court.

Nirmal’s case is similar as she was allegedly duped into carrying drugs to Malaysia through an internet scam.

Her lawyer has filed an appeal and Ratu Epeli, accompanied by Fiji’s Acting High Commissioner to Malaysia, Pita Tagicakirewa, requested the High Commission to keep track of the appeal.

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