KUCHING: A repeat drug offender was sentenced to five years and one month in prison and one stroke of the whip by the Sessions Court here today after pleading guilty to consuming dangerous drugs for a third time.
Judge Iris Awen Jon handed down the sentence to 28-year-old Andre Girinass Tekwan who was charge under Section 15(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 and punishable under Section 39C(1)(b) of the same Act, which provides for imprisonment of between five and seven years and up to three strokes of the whip upon conviction.
The court ordered the imprisonment term to commence from the date of conviction, June 18, 2026.
Upon completing his sentence, Andre is required to report to the nearest police station on the first working day of every month for a period of two years under police supervision.
According to the charge, Andre was found to have consumed amphetamine and methamphetamine at the Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department office of the Bau District Police Headquarters at about 7:15 pm on October 4, 2025.
Investigations revealed that he had previously been convicted twice under Section 15(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, namely in Bau Magistrates’ Court, for cases with convictions recorded on July 11, 2017 and September 25, 2019 respectively.
According to the facts of the case, police personnel from the Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department detained Andre at the department’s office in Bau on suspicion of drug abuse on October 4, 2025.
He was directed to provide a urine sample, which underwent an initial screening test using police test strips.
The initial test returned positive results for amphetamine and methamphetamine.
The urine specimen was subsequently sent to the Pathology Department in Kuching for laboratory analysis.
The laboratory report confirmed the presence of methamphetamine and amphetamine in the sample.
The prosecution was conducted by Chuah Kai Sheng, while the accused was unrepresented.
