Pakistani escapes gallows, gets 20 years in jail for drug possession instead

PUTRAJAYA – A Pakistani man escaped the gallows today after the charge against him for drug trafficking was substituted with one of drug possession.

Sardar Ali Hassan Muhammad, 47, who worked as a construction worker, was instead sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment and ordered to be whipped 10 times for possessing 1909.8 g of heroin and monoacetylmorphine eight years ago.

A Federal Court three-member panel comprising Justices Datuk Vernon Ong Lam Kiat, Datuk Zabariah Mohd Yusof and Datuk Rhodzariah Bujang substituted his conviction for the drug trafficking offence with drug possession after deputy public prosecutor Baizura Kamal informed the court that the prosecution agreed to substitute the charge.

Justice Vernon, who chaired the panel, ordered Sardar’s 20-year jail sentence to start from Aug 7, 2014, the day he was arrested.

According to the charge sheet, Sardar committed the offence at the international arrival baggage claim area at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Sepang, Selangor at 1.10pm on Aug 7, 2014.

On October 27, 2017, the Shah Alam High Court convicted and sentenced him to death for drug trafficking.

Sardar lost his appeal at the Court of Appeal on Aug 11, 2020. – Bernama, May 24, 2022