Shankar (left) speaks to the trio after the proceedings of the case.
KUCHING (April 23): The High Court here today sentenced a man to 18 years imprisonment and 20 strokes of the cane for two counts of possessing methamphetamine amounting to 128.59 grammes.
Judge Dato Faridz Gohim Abdullah imposed the sentence against Bong Han Hoon to 10 years jail and 10 lashings for the first charge and eight years of imprisonment and 10 strokes of the cane for the second charge and for the sentences to run concurrently starting from today.
In the same proceedings, the court discharged and acquitted Bong’s friends, Ng Jew Foong and Teo Lip Seng, from the two charges.
Their counsel Shankar Ram Asnani during the proceedings said considerations were there for an order of discharge amounting to acquittal where Bong had admitted under the lesser charge.
“Therefore, Ng and Teo ought to be acquitted for both cases,” he said.
DPP Yong Suk Hui further prayed for deterrent sentences to be imposed against Bong, considering that those were drug-related offences which are serious crimes, public interest demand for deterrent sentence to be imposed and the fact that the quantity of the drugs was twice of the minimum prescribed under Section 39A(2) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
According to the first and second charge, the trio were accused of possessing 74.92 grammes and 53.67 grammes of methamphetamine respectively at a premises at DPublic Square Commercial Centre, Jalan Batu Kawa here on April 26, 2023.
They were charged under Section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, punishable under Subsection 39B(2) of the same Act and read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code.