KUCHING: A 26-year-old man was sentenced to six months in prison by the Magistrates’ Court here today for possessing 0.04 gramme (g) of methamphetamine.
Mohd Mustaqim Abidin pleaded guilty to the amended charge before Magistrate Leona Dominic Mojiliu.
The offence was framed under Section 12(2) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, punishable under Section 12(3) of the same Act.
Under Section 12(3), a person convicted of the offence may be fined up to RM100,000, imprisoned for up to five years, or both.
The court heard that Mustaqim were arrested at about 4.45pm on April 21, at a hotel near Central Park Commercial Centre, Jalan Rock here.
A team from the Kuching Narcotics Criminal Investigation Division, had detained the accused after finding them sitting on a mattress inside the room.
During a search of the room, police found a grey pouch bearing the words ‘RYOBI CLEAN & ENJOY FISHING’ on the mattress beside where the two men were sitting.
Two transparent plastic packets containing crystal-like substances suspected to be methamphetamine were subsequently found inside the pouch.
The substances, weighing 0.40 grammes in total at the time of seizure, were seized and the accused were arrested under Section 12(2) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
The substances were later sent to the Chemistry Department Malaysia, Kuching Branch, for analysis.
A chemistry report confirmed that the substances contained 0.04 gramme of methamphetamine, a drug listed under the First Schedule of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
The prosecution said investigations found strong evidence linking the accused to the drugs, including the discovery of the packets in the pouch located beside both accused.
The accused was unrepresented, while Deputy Public Prosecutor, Ahmad Fauzulutfi Suriani, appeared for the prosecution.
