KLANG: A 44-year-old company driver who was charged with drug possession over three years ago escaped the gallows after being acquitted by the High Court here on Monday (April 29).
Ragu Krishnan of Taman Klang Jaya who faced three charges of possessing heroin and methamphetamine was discharged and freed by High Court Judge Azmi Abdullah after the accused's defence counsel succeeded in raising reasonable doubt on the case by alleging that three policemen from the South Klang narcotics crime investigations department (NCID) had acted vindictively by planting the drugs in the accused's waist pouch.
Lawyer Manoharan Malayalam, who represented the accused, said his client had faced the retribution three months after he reported three NCID personnel to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for allegedly demanding bribes and abusing their powers.
He said the MACC had promptly acted on the report and took action on the policemen who are also attached to the South Klang NCID.
He said his client had maintained his innocence from the day he was arrested and had even lodged a police report while in custody alleging he was framed by colleagues of the policemen held by the MACC.
Manoharan said he had adduced evidence to the court including the testimonies of three witnesses namely a lawyer, an MACC investigations officer who arrested the three policemen and a third person to prove his client was framed.
Ragu, who was arrested at Taman Klang Jaya here on Oct 24, 2020, was charged under Section 39B(1) for the possession of 182.1g of methamphetamine and Section 12(2) for the possession of 3.3g of heroin under the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
He also faced a third charge with possessing 22.68g of a psychotropic medication under the Poisons Act 1952.
Manoharan said his client is also contemplating suing the police, Attorney General's Chambers and the government for wrongful arrest and malicious prosecution.
"We are considering a civil suit against these parties as my client has had three years of his life snatched away from him," he said.
