Drug trafficking: Former university student gets 30 years’ jail, whipping
SEREMBAN: A former university student was sentenced to 30 years in jail and 12 strokes of the cane by the High Court here yesterday for trafficking nearly two kilogrammes (kg) of cannabis four years ago.
Judge Datuk Rohani Ismail handed down the sentence on Muhammad Nur Arif Nur Akil, 26, after hearing submissions from the prosecution and defence and ordered the jail term to run from the date of arrest on Sept 2, 2020.
“Previously, the court found you (the accused) guilty and convicted under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
“Therefore, after considering the mitigation appeal presented through your lawyer and the aggravating factors raised by the prosecution, I have decided to impose a 30-year jail sentence from the date of arrest and 12 strokes,” she said.
According to the charge, Muhammad Nur Arif, who was then a student at a private university in Selangor, was found trafficking cannabis weighing 1,900.9 grammes in the parking lot of a supermarket in this district at around 5.30 pm on Sept 2, 2020.
The offence was committed under Section 39B (1) (a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 and punishable under Section 39B (2) of the same act. A total of 10 witnesses were called to the stand throughout the trial, which commenced on April 10, 2023. Earlier, lawyer Shah Rizal Abdul Manan appealed that a prison sentence be imposed on his client, taking into account the accused’s young age and his promising future upon release, as well as the fact that this was his first offence.
However, deputy public prosecutor Ala’uddin Baharom requested the death penalty, taking into account the public interest, including preventive factors, punishment and the accused’s guilt in the case.
“This is a case of trafficking, and it can be proven directly without any presumption. Whether it is a soft or high drug, it does not matter because the negative effects remain the same. That is why the country prohibits all drug-related activities unless licenced. In this case, the accused is a university student and should be aware of the consequences and effects of involvement in drugs,” he said. — Bernama