Man jailed 12 years, gets 10 whippings for drug possession

KUALA TERENGGANU: A man was sentenced to 12 years’ jail and 10 strokes of the cane by the High Court yesterday for possession of 96.88gm of Methamphetamine.

Judge Datuk Zainal Azman Ab Aziz meted out the sentence on Mohd Hakimin Kamarudin, 25, after the man pleaded guilty to the amended charge.

He was jointly charged with Wan Hasanah Wan Salleh, 32, of committing the offence in a car near the exit to Chukai toll plaza in Kemaman at 6.30 pm last July 28, 2016.

They were charged under Section 12(3) of the Dangerous Drugs Act, which provides life imprisonment ior not less than five years and maximum 10 strokes of the cane, upon conviction.

Zainal Azman, however, acquitted and discharged Wan Hasanah of the charge, saying that the court had no intention of proceeding the case against her as Mohd Hakimin has confessed possession of the drug.

In the judgment , Zainal Azman also said the excuse given by lawyer Ghazali Ismail , representing Mohd Hakimin, that his client sold drug as a source of income to support his family could not be accepted

“Our country is blessed with good weather and you (Mohd Hakimin), as a man who is healthy and strong,is capable of looking for better job,” he said.

He ordered Mohd Hakimin to serve the jail sentence from the date of arrest.

The prosecution was conducted by deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Fadhli Mahmud.