Filipina who escaped gallows to be sentenced Sept 11
KOTA KINABALU: The High Court here yesterday set September 11 this year for sentencing of a Filipina charged with possession of 56.43 grams of syabu.
Justice Datuk Nurchaya Hj Arshad fixed the date after Rubiah Lahani Abdul Rahman, 33, pleaded guilty to an alternative charge under Section 12 (2) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
She admitted to being in possession of the drugs at the KFC Restaurant in Karamunsing Complex here at 4.10 pm on May 17, 2016.
The offence under Section 12 (2) 1952 of the Dangerous Drugs Act, carries a jail term for life or not less than five years and whipping of not less than 10 strokes, upon conviction.
Rubiah had previously on May 25, been charged under Section 39B (1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, with drug trafficking at the same place and time, the penalty for which is the mandatory death sentence, upon conviction.
The facts of the case stated that Rubiah was apprehended together with another man named Fersun, by a police team.
At that time, Rubiah was holding a green plastic bag with silver pattern. When the bag was examined by the police, five plastic wrappings with transparent plastic sachets were found inside containing a crystalline substance believed to be syabu.
All the plastic wrappings were taken and kept inside an envelope, marked and sent to the Chemistry Department for analysis.
The analysis found that the crystalline substance contained 56.43 grams of methamphetamine (syabu).
Deputy public prosecutor Gan Peng Kun led the prosecution while counsel Hairul Vaiyron Othman represented Rubiah.