KUCHING: A 37-year-old labourer was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment and two strokes of the cane by the Sessions Court here for self-administering dangerous drugs for the third time.
Muhamad Shalihin Mohamad Tamrin pleaded guilty to the charge read before Judge Musli Ab Hamid.
He was charged under Section 15(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which is punishable under Section 39C(1)(b) of the same Act for repeat offenders.
The court also ordered him to undergo police supervision at the National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK) here for two years upon completion of his prison sentence pursuant to Section 38B of the Act.
He committed the offence at about 11.50am on March 22, 2024, at the Kuching District Police Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (NCID) office.
The court was told a police team arrested Muhamad Shalihin to undergo a drug test, and an initial urine screening returned positive results for amphetamine and methamphetamine.
Subsequent analysis by the Drug and Research Laboratory of the Pathology Department at Sarawak General Hospital confirmed that his urine sample contained both substances, which are listed under the First Schedule of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
Investigations revealed that the accused had two previous convictions under Section 15(1)(a) of the same Act, on July 1, 2020 and November 30, 2021.
In view of the prior convictions, the charge was framed under Section 39C(1)(b), which provides for imprisonment of up to seven years, as well as whipping of up to three strokes.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Ruvinasini Pandian prosecuted, while Muhamad Shalihin was unrepresented.
