Kota Kinabalu: A foreigner and a local were freed from trafficking 50.42gm of syabu without their defence being called.
Judicial Commissioner Amelati Parnel discharged and acquitted foreigner Munap Maulana and Murphy Roger, after ruling that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case.
The duo were accused of trafficking the drug at 10.30am on Jan 14, 2021 in front of a hut at Kg Lok Buno in Sepanggar, near here.
The offence under Section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act and read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code carries the life imprisonment or death sentence, and whipping at least 15 strokes, on conviction.
The prosecution called five witnesses during the trial.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Afiq Agoes appeared for the prosecution while counsel Hamid Ismail for Munap and counsels Shahlan Jufri and Mohd Luqman Syazwan Zabidi Md Zain for Murphy.
In another case, two men were fined RM1,500 in default two months’ jail each for illegal gambling.
Budiman Aloysius and Hasrin Mahamud, both 30, pleaded guilty separately to gambling at 10.30pm on Nov 18, 2022 in Sulaman Sentral, near here.
The court ordered the confiscated items to be disposed by police and the money seized to be forfeited as government revenue by the prosecution.
* Follow us on Instagram and join our Telegram and/or WhatsApp channel(s) for the latest news you don't want to miss.
* Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available.