KUCHING: The Magistrates’ Court here today imposed a fine of RM6,600 or 18 months’ jail on a man for possessing 0.47 grammes of syabu and for involvement in drug abuse activities in February.
Mohd Farus Junaidi, 29, pleaded guilty to two charges read before Magistrate Ling Hui Chuan.
For the first charge, he was charged under Section 12(2) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 and punishable under Section 12(3) of the same Act for possessing 0.47 grammes of methamphetamine.
He was alleged to have committed the offence outside a house in Matang at around 12:30 pm on February 18.
The offence carried a penalty of up to RM100,000 in fines or a jail term of up to five years.
For this charge, Magistrate Mason Jaro sentenced the accused to a fine of RM3,600 or eight months’ jail.
For the second charge, Mohd Farus was charged under Section 15(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 and punishable under Section 15(1) of the same Act for consuming amphetamine and methamphetamine.
He was found positive for drugs while being held at the Sarawak Police Contingent Headquarters (IPK) Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department on the same day of his arrest.
He was sentenced to a fine of RM3,000 or 10 months in prison and ordered to undergo two years of police supervision upon completing his sentence or payment of the fine.
According to the facts of the case, a police team arrested Mohd Farus in front of a house based on suspicion of drug abuse activity.
Upon inspection, six small transparent packets containing crystal-like substances, believed to be syabu, were found in the pocket of the man’s trousers.
Further investigation revealed that the man tested positive during a preliminary urine screening while a report from the Department of Chemistry Malaysia confirmed that the seized drugs weighed 0.47 grammes and were methamphetamine.
The prosecution was led by Prosecuting Officer Nur Shafiqa Nyaie Ilin while the man was unrepresented.
