Duo charged with possessing drugs

KOTA KINABALU: Two men were ordered to enter their defence on a charge of possessing 34.20 grams of syabu.

Sessions Court judge Azreena Aziz made the order on Rahmat Matali, 41, and Daud Yusuf, 50, when the case came up for ruling at the end of the prosecution stage yesterday.

The judge held that the prosecution had established a prima facie case against the accused on the said charge and thereby ordered both accused to enter their defence.

Azreena fixed August 12 and 13 this year for the defence trial stage.

Rahmat and Daud were alleged to have possessed the drugs behind a hospital in Kuala Penyu, Beaufort at 12.40pm on December 27, 2018.

They face a joint charge under Section 39A(2)(r) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which carries life imprisonment or a jail term of not less than five years and whipping of not less than 10 strokes, upon conviction.

In the prosecution stage, seven witnesses were called.

Counsel Datuk Norbert Chin defended Rahmat while Daud was represented by counsel Bartholomew Jingulam.

Meanwhile, the same court sentenced a man to three months jail for entering Sabah illegally.

The judge imposed the sentence on Razmel Abdul Rahim after he admitted to enter the state without valid documentation.

The offence is framed under Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63, which provides for a maximum fine of RM10,000 or a jail term of up to five years or both and whipping, upon conviction.

He was ordered to serve the jail sentence from the date of his arrest on June 26 and to be referred to the Immigration Department for the record for his biometrics data before deportation to his country.