Man tentatively charged with drug trafficking

KOTA KINABALU: A man who was tentatively charged in the Magistrate’s Court here yesterday with trafficking in 10,332 grams of syabu will have his case mentioned on June 22.

Magistrate Jessica Ombou Kakayun put off the case of Mohd Zubir Hj Sabtal@ Hj Jamil, 34, pending the production of a drug analysis report from the Chemist Department.

The accused, who was defended by counsel Luke Ressa Balang, had allegedly trafficked in the drug at a room of a hotel at Bandar Sepanggar Bay Road at 2.45am on January 4.

The alleged offence was framed under Section 39B (1) (a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 which is punishable by the death sentence, upon conviction.

The case was first brought to court on January 18.

Meanwhile, four men were convicted by the same court after they pleaded guilty to separate drug possession charges.

Akasin Hamsali and Adnan Dulajis were each jailed 12 months for possessing 0.78 gram and 0.13 grams of syabu, respectively.

Another three men, namely Awang Yusrizal Mohd Yusof and Imbal Mohammad Majindi were each sentenced to six and 30 months’ jail while Ibrahim Abdullah was fined RM2,000, in default, six months’ imprisonment for having 0.27 gram, 4.72 grams and 0.19 gram of syabu.

Meanwhile, for syabu consumption, Mohd Khairul Nizam And Razak, who had two convictions, was jailed five years and ordered to be whipped twice for committing a similar offence while Melvin Francis Liong was fined RM1,800, in default, six months’ jail.

Prosecuting officer Inspector Mohd Rasydan Jasni told the court that all the accused persons were apprehended during separate operations in the city, Penampang, Putatan and Sepanggar between January 17 and April 23.