Man jailed 5 months for drug possession, abuse

A magistrates’ court here yesterday sentenced a man, 29, to five months’ jail for two charges of abusing and possessing drugs in September this year.

Magistrate Zaiton Anuar imposed the sentence against Harris Hussein from Kampung Tabuan Hilir after he pleaded guilty to the two charges.

Zaiton sentenced Harris to five months’ jail for each charge, and ordered the jail term to run concurrently from the date of his arrest.

Harris was also ordered to be placed under supervision for two years after serving his sentences.

On the first count, Harris was charged under Section 12(2) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, punishable under Section 12(3) of the same Section which carries a fine of up to RM100,000, or up to five years in prison, or both.

On the second count, he was charged under Section 15(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, punishable under Section 15(1) of the same Act, which carries a jail sentence of up to two years or a fine not exceeding RM5,000 and to be placed under immediate supervision for a period not exceeding three years.

Harris committed the first offence at Petanak Market here at 11.45am while the second was committed at the Kuching Narcotics Criminal Investigation Division (NCID) at 12.30pm on Sept 3.

Based on the facts of the case, when police arrested Harris at the premises on the day of the incident, an inspection on his body found a transparent packet containing 0.15g of methamphetamine in the pocket of his trousers.

He was then brought to Kuching NCID on the same day to undergo a drug test, where he tested positive for amphetamine and methamphetamine.

Insp Merylene Lindan Andrew Mang prosecuted while Harris was unrepresented by counsel.