A 32-year-old man was sentenced to 30 years in prison and 12 strokes of the cane for trafficking over 700 grammes of methamphetamine in Sibu.
SIBU: A 32-year-old man was sentenced to 30 years in prison and 12 strokes of the cane by the High Court here for drug trafficking.
Justice Wong Siong Tung imposed the sentence on Wong Kieng Li after finding the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt.
The charge was under Section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 for trafficking 717.67 grammes of methamphetamine.
The court declined to impose the death penalty, ordering the life imprisonment term to begin from Wong’s arrest date on Dec 12, 2023.
“Having considered the submissions of both parties, the mitigating and aggravating factors, the quantity of drugs involved and the circumstances of the case, the court declines to impose the death penalty,” Justice Wong said.
Wong was charged with trafficking the drugs in a car along Jalan Oya at about 5 pm on Dec 12, 2023.
The court heard he collected a parcel from a cargo counter at Sibu Bus Terminal and placed it in his vehicle.
In his defence, Wong testified he was only helping a friend known as “Bai Mau” retrieve a package he believed contained LED lights.
The court found the accused had custody and control of the parcel, triggering the statutory presumption of possession and knowledge.
It rejected Wong’s explanation as he failed to provide meaningful details about the alleged friend or produce supporting witnesses.
The judge also pointed to inconsistencies in the accused’s testimony during the trial.
These included providing an incorrect identity card number and a false phone number when collecting the parcel.
“These circumstances collectively render the accused’s version inherently improbable and incapable of raising any reasonable doubt against the prosecution’s case,” Justice Wong said.
During mitigation, defence counsel Daren Ling said the accused was married with two children aged 12 and nine.
He stated Wong was the sole breadwinner before his arrest and had cooperated with police throughout the investigation.
Ling urged the court not to impose the death penalty on his client.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Mark Kenneth Netto argued for a severe sentence.
He cited the large quantity of drugs involved and the accused’s active role in transporting them.