Filipino’s syabu trafficking trial begins in High Court
KOTA KINABALU: The trial of a Filipino who was accused of trafficking 210.56 grams of syabu, commenced at the High Court here yesterday.
Tal Shuaib, 38, who was brought before justice Datuk Nurchaya Hj Arshad, was charged under Section 39B (1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which carries the mandatory death sentence on conviction.
In the opening address led by deputy public prosecutor Gan Peng Kun, the court was told that a police team went to the car park of University Plaza in Jalan Sulaman here at 7.30pm on September 26, 2016.
The police saw two men, including the accused, alight from a green Perodua Viva which stopped in front of Uncle Bob shop and then the car left.
Then, the two men tried to run away after the police approached them and identified themselves.
However, the police managed to apprehend the two men.
The accused had suffered injuries on his forehead, right cheek, right shoulder and left finger as a result of resisting during his arrest and he was found to hold a black plastic bag.
Gan further said that 10 plastic packets were found inside the plastic bag which contained a crystalline substance, believed to be dangerous drugs.
The substance, which was kept inside an envelope, was sent to the Chemistry Department on September 28, 2016, said Gan.
He added that analysis conducted on the substance was found to have 210.56 grams of methamphetamine. Gan said that the prosecution told the court that the accused was found to hold in custody of the black plastic bag containing the dangerous drugs.
Therefore, the accused was deemed to possess and knew the nature of the said drugs as well as the accused is presumed to be trafficking in the dangerous drugs.
He also said that the prosecution would further show that the totality of the evidence would point to the irresistible conclusion that the accused had trafficked in the said drugs.
The trial continues with five witnesses to be called by the prosecution. Tal, who worked as a construction worker, was represented by counsel Edward Paul and he is further detained in custody, pending disposal of the case.