Melinda Stevenson was not required to go through another court proceeding but instead was told she could return home to be with her loved ones.

Deputy public prosecutor Mohd Khushairy Ibrahim told a three-member bench of the Federal Court, chaired by Mohd Zawawi Salleh, that the prosecution did not wish to continue with its appeal against a Court of Appeal ruling last year.

The bench, also consisting of Vernon Ong Lam Kiat and Mary Lim Thiam Suan, then struck out the appeal.

The court also set aside an order obtained last year to detain her pending the outcome of the prosecution’s appeal.

“You are free to go home and are freed forthwith,” Zawawi told the 44-year-old Melinda, who was represented by lawyer Simon Murali.

She broke into tears upon hearing the good news and then put her palms together in a gesture of gratitude to the prosecution.

A policeman removed her handcuffs when she came out of the dock.

Last year, the Court of Appeal set aside a High Court ruling and acquitted her on a charge of trafficking in 2.6kg of methamphetamine.

A three-member appellate panel, led by Abdul Rahman Sebli, said there was no finding of positive identification of the drugs in the case as required.

Stevenson, who had travelled from Singapore to Langkawi, was said to have been found by customs officers at the Langkawi International Airport to have drugs concealed in a secret compartment of her luggage on Oct 12, 2014.

The High Court in Alor Setar found Melinda guilty and sentenced her to death on March 13, 2018.

Despite her acquittal by the Court of Appeal, the prosecution applied to the Federal Court to have her held in custody pending the appeal.

South African embassy officials were present to follow the case and her lawyer said arrangements would be made for her departure as soon as possible.