MELAKA: A 44-year-old former despatch rider escaped the death penalty after the High Court in Ayer Keroh here acquitted and discharged him of trafficking 10.8kg of methamphetamine.
Justice (Datuk) Mohd Radzi Abdul Hamid delivered the verdict on Tuesday (April 22) after the defence successfully raised reasonable doubt in the case against Yee Kok Chong at the end of the defence proceeding.
In his judgment, Justice Mohd Radzi stated that the prosecution's failure to call a key witness who had been offered to the defence had prejudiced the accused’s case.
"Therefore, the court finds that the prosecution failed to prove a reasonable doubt against the accused and therefore the court acquits and discharges the accused," he said.
Yee was charged with trafficking methamphetamine weighing 10,898 grammes on a wooden bench at Persimpangan Lereh 3, next to a school in the Melaka Tengah district at about 7.05pm on January 14, 2021.
He was charged under Section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which provides the death penalty or life imprisonment upon conviction.
The prosecution was led by Deputy Public Prosecutor Mohd. Firdaus Saleh, while the accused was represented by lawyers, Haresh Mahadevan and Ramzani Idris.
A total of eight prosecution witnesses and one defence witness were called to testify.
