Tahfiz centre fire: Teenager acquitted of drug charges

KUALA LUMPUR: Another teenager who had been arrested over the fire incident at Pusat Tahfiz Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah which claimed the lives of 23 people, was yesterday discharged and acquitted of two counts of ingesting drugs, by the Magistrate’s Court.

Magistrate Umzarul An Nur Umar made the decision in favour of Mohamad Shahrul Nizam Ikmal Shafi-in, 18, after DPP Noor Jazilah Mohd Yushaa informed the court that the prosecution had withdrawn the charge against the teenager, after a pathology report from the Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL) laboratory came back negative.

The unemployed teenager was charged with two counts of ingesting carbolic acid and syabu at the office of the Anti-Vice, Gambling and Secret Societies (D7) Division at the Dang Wangi Criminal Investigation Department, here, at 11.35am on Sept 16.

He was charged under Section 15(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, punishable under the same section, which provides for a maximum fine of RM5,000 or maximum imprisonment of two years, and also subject to a supervision order under Section 38B of the Act for a period of two to three years, upon conviction.

On Sept 28, Mohamad Shahrul Nizam, represented by lawyer Ram Karpal Singh, pleaded guilty to the two charges. However, the court withheld the sentencing against him pending a behavioural and chemical report.

On Tuesday, the Children’s Magistrate’s Court acquitted a 16-year-old teenager, who had been charged with killing 21 students and two teachers of Pusat Tahfiz Darul Ittifaqiyah, of drug ingestion charges.

Magistrate Zilfinaz Abbas also discharged and acquitted a 12-year-old child of drug charges after the pathology report issued by the HKL laboratory found the two free of drugs.

In the fire incident about 5.15am on Sept 14, 21 students and two teachers at the tahfiz centre were killed, after being trapped on the third floor of their hostel at the centre.

Following that, two 16-year-old boys were charged with murdering the 23 at the tahfiz centre in Jalan Keramat Hujung, Kampung Datuk Keramat, here, between 4.15 am and 6.45 am on Sept 14.

They were charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 34, which provides for the mandatory death sentence upon conviction. - Bernama