30 Jul 2020

Crimes NZ: Tim Donoghue on the Lorraine and Aaron Cohen story

From Afternoons, 2:30 pm on 30 July 2020

In 1984, Lorraine Cohen and her son Aaron were arrested in Malaysia and accused of drug trafficking.

They were eventually released in 1996 after more than 11 years in prison, and returned to New Zealand.

Journalist Tim Donoghue spent a lot of his career covering this story in Malaysia and wrote a book called The Tiger Who Smiled in 1995 about the Cohens.

Lorraine and Aaron Cohen after their arrest - NZ History

Lawyer Karpal Singh holding court with media outside Penang Prison - Karpal Singh Collection

Karpal Singh and his wife Germud Koor meet NZ Prime Minister David Lange in Wellington - Karpal Singh Collection

Lorraine called her arms her 'golden arms' as they convinced the Supreme Court judges she was an addict not a trafficker - Karpal Singh Collection

Aaron would have been strapped to a chair like this for his six strokes of the rotan cane - Karpal Singh Collection

An early picture of Lorraine Cohen - Karpal Singh Collection

Journalist Tim Donohue and Karpal Singh - Karpal Singh Collection

Aaron Cohen in Penang prison. There was sympathy toward him from the New Zealand public - Karpal Singh Collection

Lorraine as a child - Karpal Singh Collection

This story was produced using archival audio from Ngā Taonga Sound and Vision.

Photo: Nga Taonga Sound & Vision

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Crimes NZ: Tim Donoghue on the Lorraine and Aaron Cohen story

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