Robert William Langdon, 38, was sentenced to death for killing a Afghan security guard in May, 2009.

Mr Langdon attended school at Port Augusta High until 1988 and it is believed he enlisted in the army after he left school.

His family still live in Port Augusta and they issued a statement last week requesting their privacy during ongoing negotiations with the Afghan Appeals Court.

The Afghan Appeals Court made the decision on January 20, upholding a verdict handed down by the Primary Court in Kabul on October 27, 2009.

A Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) spokesperson confirmed Mr Langdon’s lawyers had since lodged an appeal to the Afghan Supreme Court.

Last week Foreign Affairs Minister Stephen Smith said the Federal Government would be prepared to make a plea of clemency if Langdon’s appeal failed.

He said he raised the matter with Afghan’s Foreign Minister Dr Rassoul during the London Conference on Afghanistan in London last week.

Mr Langdon was employed as a security contractor by US-based contractor Four Horsemen, when he shot his Afghan colleague, Kabul, four times.

In an earlier appeal Langdon said he fired in self-defence, claiming that Kabul reached for his pistol during an argument.

Last week Mr Langdon was transferred from police jail to the Pol-e-Charkhi prison.

A DFAT spokesperson said the Australian Embassy in Kabul was providing consular assistance to Mr Langdon, and consular staff from DFAT in Canberra had been providing extensive consular assistance to his family.

“We have been consulting closely with Mr Langdon’s lawyers and his employer about appropriate representation in this case…this is consistent with the Australian Government’s strong opposition to the use of the death penalty,” the spokesperson said.

Mr Langdon’s family and lawyers have discouraged further public attention to the charges to avoid jeopardising the interests of Mr Langdon’s case.