Labourer freed of meth trafficking charges

PETALING JAYA: A labourer was acquitted and discharged by the Kota Bharu High Court in Kelantan today of two charges of trafficking 39.37kg of methamphetamine.

Justice Rosli Yusoff ordered for Amran Salleh, 53, to be freed after finding that the prosecution had failed to prove a prima facie case against him, Bernama reported.

In the first charge, Amran was accused of trafficking 9.74kg of methamphetamine at an unnumbered house in Kampung Jeram Perdah, Pasir Mas, at about 4.30pm on June 7, 2021.

In the second amended charge, he was accused of trafficking 29.626kg of methamphetamine at the same place and time.

Both charges were brought under Section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, punishable under Section 39B(2), which provides for the death penalty or 30 to 40 years’ imprisonment and no fewer than 15 strokes of the rotan.

Rosli said the prosecution failed to prove that only Amran had access to the house in Kampung Jeram Perdah, Pasir Mas, where the items were found.

“The door was not locked and anyone could enter. Witnesses confirmed the empty house was used as a transit point for illegal goods such as cooking oil before they were smuggled to Thailand.

“The court rules that the prosecution failed to prove its case, so the accused is acquitted and discharged without having to enter his defence,” he said.

The prosecution was conducted by deputy public prosecutor Nik Nur Adila Mat Zaidan, while Amran was represented by lawyers Tengku Shazuan Tengku Shariffudin and Ahmad Nizam Mohamed.