KUALA LUMPUR: Wisma Putra is awaiting news about a Malaysian woman who is languishing in a prison in Lima, Peru.

A Wisma Putra official said they have no information if Punitha K.K. Samy had been convicted of a drug offence or if she is being held on remand at the Santa Monica prison in Lima.

The official said Punitha was arrested on July 8 and Malaysian Foreign Ministry officials had met the woman in prison several times.

"We last saw her about a month ago and she looked fine."

He was surprised when he read a report recently stating that the woman was gravely ill.
The official said from interviews with Punitha, they learnt that Punitha and her boyfriend, a Nigerian, stayed at a budget hotel in Madrid, Spain for a week.

After that she was introduced to another Nigerian man and the two of them flew to Amsterdam where they stayed at another budget hotel for 15 days.

She was then introduced to an unidentified Peruvian. The official said the Peruvian gave Punitha a one way ticket to Lima and a bag which contained 3.5kg of cocaine.

Airport authorities in Lima became suspicious when they discovered she flew into the country on a one-way ticket. They checked her luggage and discovered the 3.5kg of cocaine.

The official said they were informed of her arrest five days later but till today have not been told if Punitha had been charged.

The official said there are 13 other Malaysians -- 10 women and three men -- held in the same prison. All 13, between the ages of 20 and 39, were arrested at the Lima airport on separate incidents in the past two years. They are all suspected to be drug traffickers.

Punitha's case was highlighted by her former employer, Dr Kalai Kumar, the founder and chairman of Tantra Yoga Hindu Organisation. Dr Kalai had said that he received a call from the prison authorities on Tuesday, informing him of Punitha's condition.

Punitha had given the prison authorities his contact number. She had lost contact with her family members who had lived in Sentul nine years ago.

Dr Kalai yesterday sought the help of Wisma Putra. He said he is looking for sponsors for the trip to Peru where he hopes to get Punitha legal assistance. He urged Punitha's family members to contact him at 11-2, Jalan PGN 1A/1, Pinggiran Batu Caves, Selangor.