Man gets jail, cane over drugs

KOTA KINABALU: A man was jailed for two years and ordered to be given three strokes of the cane by the Magistrate’s Court here yesterday for possessing 18.32 grams of syabu.

Magistrate Cindy Mc Juce Balitus passed the sentence on Timhal Tallah, 38, after he pleaded guilty to having the drugs by the roadside of Tanjung Lipat in Likas on May 10.

The accused, who was defended by counsel Hairul V. Othman, was convicted under Section 12 (2) which is punishable under Section 39A (1), both of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 which carries a maximum jail of five years and whipping, upon conviction.

Prosecuting officer Inspector P. Nathan told the court that before the accused was arrested, a police team saw the accused sitting on a motorcycle, which was parked at the said place and approached the accused.

The police introduced themselves to the accused who tried to flee but were arrested later. However, the police and the accused were involved in a scuffle which resulted in a small cut in the elbow of the accused.

Upon checking the accused’s sling bag, the police found the drugs, a digital scale and a MyPR document under the accused’s name.

In a separate case, a truck driver was fined RM18,700 by the same court for three counts of committing a similar offence.

James Su Yung Vui, 30, admitted to the three charges under Section 12 (3) of the same Act which provides for a maximum fine of RM100,000 or a jail term of up to five years or both, upon conviction.

On the first to the third charges, the accused was fined RM2,700, in default, eight months’ jail; RM7,000, in default, 18 months’ jail and RM9,000, in default, 28 months’ jail for possessing 0.18 grams of Nimetazepam, 0.91grams of ketamine and 1.47grams of methy lenedioxymetapetamine (MDMA), respectively, in front of a shop at Karamunsing Capital here on August 14.

Meanwhile, Mohd Azidi Abd Rashi was jailed for eight months for possessing 0.13 grams of syabu at a bus stop in Manggatal on September 24.