KOTA KINABALU: A storekeeper has been discharged and acquitted of a charge of trafficking more than 3kg of syabu after the prosecution withdrew the case against him.
Hadriansyah Sabran, 46, however pleaded guilty to drug abuse and was sentenced to nine months' jail from the date of his arrest on March 13.
Both decisions were made before Tawau Magistrate Don Stiwin Malanjum on Tuesday.
He was accused of trafficking 3,148g of methamphetamine at a warehouse on Jalan Sin Onn in Tawau at around 7.30pm on March 13.
The charge under Section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 carries the death penalty or life imprisonment and whipping, upon conviction.
During mitigation, defence lawyer Datuk Ram Singh said the accused had been framed, claiming that the drugs were planted.
He told the court that representations, along with closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage and supporting documents, had been submitted to the state prosecution director on April 27 and 28.
"The state prosecution director decided to withdraw the trafficking charge after reviewing the representations and CCTV footage submitted," he said.
The court recorded the withdrawal before ordering Hadriansyah to be discharged and acquitted.
