GEORGE TOWN: Five friends were charged in a Magistrate’s Court here with four separate counts of drug trafficking and possession on Friday (Aug 29).
In the first charge, Muhammad Khalis Abdul Kudus, 39, Amirul Din Abd Aziz, 44, and Mohd Firdaus Mohd Fodzi, 40, were jointly accused of trafficking cannabis weighing 2,9902g at a parking lot in front of a house at Persiaran Sungai Gelugor 2 here at 11.50pm on Aug 15.
They were charged under Section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which carries the death penalty, or life imprisonment and no fewer than 12 strokes of the cane, upon conviction.
Khalis, who is unemployed, was also jointly charged with Amirul Din with trafficking cannabis weighing 16,179g at another house in Persiaran Gelugor 2 here at 12.50am on Aug 16.
They were also charged under Section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
All the accused nodded when the charges were read to them by the court interpreter before Magistrate Siti Nurul Suhaila Baharin.
However, no plea was recorded as the case falls under the jurisdiction of the High Court.
On the third charge, Khalis stands accused with Mohd Ekmal Kamaruddin, 47, and Azhar Omar, 57, of possessing cannabis weighing 43.91g in the living room of a house at Persiaran Gelugor 2 at about 11.30pm on Aug 15.
The charge is framed under Section 6 of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which is punishable under Section 39A(2) of the same Act.
Khalis claimed trial to the carge.
Ekmal, a banker, and Azhar, a lorry driver, pleaded guilty.
Deputy public prosecutor Lau Shavin requested RM8,000 bail each for Ekmal and Azhar with one surety.
Azhar and Ekmal were represented by the National Legal Aid Foundation (YBGK), while Khalis was represented by lawyer Muhamad Asri Abdul Hamid.
In mitigation, the YBGK lawyer urged the court to reduce the bail for both accused on the grounds that they have dependents.
The court set bail at RM4,000 each for both accused with one surety.
Asri did not make any appeal as his client is facing two non-bailable charges.
On the fourth charge, Amirul Din and Firdaus were jointly accused of possessing 2.96g of cannabis in a room of a house at Persiaran Sungai Gelugor 2 at 11.40pm on Aug 15.
Both pleaded not guilty.
The charge is framed under Section 6 of the Dangerous Drugs Act, punishable under Section 39A(2).
Lau offered bail of RM5,000 with one surety for each accused.
Their YBGK lawyer appealed for lower bail as both men worked as fishermen with a meagre income and had dependents.
The court then set bail at RM4,000 each with one surety.
Magistrate Siti Nur Suhaila fixed Nov 12 for the next court date for all the accused pending the chemistry reports.
