S’pore appeals court upholds Malaysian’s drug acquittal

SINGAPORE – A Malaysian bus driver accused of trafficking heroin to a woman outside a supermarket in 2014 has had his acquittal of the capital charge upheld by the Singaporean Court of Appeal, reported CNA today.

It said the prosecution appealed against the high court’s decision in May to acquit Mangalagiri Dhruva Kumar of trafficking at least 22.73g of the drugs.

However, a three-man panel comprising Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon, and justices Judith Prakash and Chao Hick Tin dismissed the appeal this afternoon.

Speaking through his lawyer, Mangalagiri said he is “very thankful to God and the system in Singapore”.

CAN said he was accused of handing a bag containing heroin to a woman on May 16, 2014 outside Sheng Siong Supermarket at Woodlands Centre Road.

The woman then handed the drugs to a man, and Central Narcotics Bureau officers arrested both later the same day.

They were tried, and the woman was sentenced to life in prison for trafficking at least 22.73g of heroin.

The man was convicted in 2016 of possessing the said drugs for the purpose of trafficking. He was sentenced to death and executed after his appeal was dismissed in 2018. – Bernama, October 14, 2021