Slam vocalist charged with drug possession, use

KUALA LUMPUR: The former vocalist of the Slam rock group, Zamani Ibrahim, and his personal assistant pleaded not guilty in the Ampang Magistrate's Court here Thursday to a charge of possessing and using drugs.

On the first charge, Zamani, 43, and Nur Juliana Abdul Rani, 32, were charged with jointly possessing 1.2g of heroin at house No. 31, Jalan Enggang Timor Satu, Taman Keramat, here, at about 12.30am on Jan 21.

They were charged under Section 12(2) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 which is punishable under Section 12(3) of the same act, read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code which carries a fine of up to RM100,000 or a jail term not exceeding five years, or both.

On the second charge, the singer who was known for the song, Gerimis Mengundang, is alleged to have taken morphine at the Narcotics Criminal Investigation Division office, Ampang Jaya district police headquarters at 2am on the same date.

Nur Juliana was also charged with taking amphetamine at about 2.05am at the same time and place.

They were charged under Section 15(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act, and if found guilty, can be fined up to RM5,000 or jailed for up to two years.

Magistrate Ayuni Izzaty Sulaiman granted both accused bail of RM6,500 each in one surety for both charges and fixed March 10 for re-mention of the cases.

Both paid the bail.

Earlier, DPP Nurdeenie Abdul Rashid offered each of the accused, bail of RM5,000 for each charge but Che Ahmad Zaharil Muhaiyar, counsel for the two, said the amount was too high.

Che Ahmad Zaharil said both the accused had registered at Rumah Pengasih, a drug rehabilitation centre, on Jan 24. - Bernama