Foreman walks free on drug charges in Ipoh

IPOH: A foreman has been acquitted by the High Court here on two drug-related charges.

Justice Datuk Bhupindar Singh Gurcharan Singh Preet made the ruling after finding that the prosecutor had failed to prove a prima facie case against S. Raja, 45.

He also said the police investigation was incomplete and that the witnesses had made contradictory statements.

In the first charge under Section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, Raja was alleged to have distributed 76.68g of methamphetamine in a room of a house in Taman Mas Falim here around 8pm on Nov 22, 2020.

For the second charge under Section 30(3) of the Poisons Act 1952, he was accused of possessing 4.14g of nitrazepam, a hypnotic drug in the benzodiazepine class, at the same location on the same date and time.

Justice Bhupindar said the presence of another man named Kishore Kumar, who had spent a night at the house, also cast doubts on the prosecution's case.

When met outside court later, Raja's lawyer J. Matthews said Kishore was arrested and brought to the house for a search, during which a bag with the drugs was found.

"I received a report that Kishore was arrested under Section 39B (of the Dangerous Drugs Act) but was not called as a witness," he said.

DPP Khazrin Hafiz Khalil prosecuted.