‘Rope in a lawyer to free Mala’

Human trafficking victim Mala Vello’s family needs to appoint a lawyer to free Mala from Nepal prison, said Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan as there was a precedent case using the same method.

“The ministry, through our mission in Kathmandu, is following this case closely.

“Our consul recently met (Mala). (Her) family needs to hire a lawyer to secure her release. She has served two years of her seven-year sentence.

“There is a previous case where a Malaysian offender was released through this method,” he said, reported New Straits Times.

Mala had fallen in love with a Nepali in 2012 and agreed to go to Nepal.

She had to endure abuse and forced domestic servitude for 10 years.

In February 2022 she sought the assistance of the Nepalese Migrant Unity Network in Lalitpur, Nepal.

Her case was referred to the Immigration Department of Nepal on 9 March 2022.

She was then found guilty for overstaying under the Immigration Act and Rule of Nepal. She was also fined RM88500.

Since she did not have the funds, she was sentenced to seven years in jail.