Kota Kinabalu: A 37-year-old self-employed man was on Tuesday sentenced to life imprisonment and ordered 12 lashes of the cane by the High Court here for trafficking 999.9gm of cannabis, four years ago.
High Court Judge Amelati Parnell found Mohd Zakhuan Arief Isah guilty of committing the offence at 11.45am on Sept 2, 2020 at Gdex Express (GDEX), Mile 5, Lorong Perindustrian Suria, Kolombong, here.
In delivering her decision, Amelati held that the accused had failed to cast reasonable doubt and failed to rebut the presumption of trafficking.
Zakhuan was ordered to serve the sentence from the date of his arrest.
On Oct 4, 2021, Zakhuan claimed trial to the charge under Section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
The charge carries the death penalty or imprisonment for life and whipping of not less than 15 strokes if not sentenced to death, on conviction.
Ten prosecution witnesses testified during the prosecution’s stage.
Zakhuan testified as the sole witness in his defence.
Customs Deputy Public Prosecutor Tengku Najiha Tingku Zahari prosecuted while Zakhuan was defended by counsel Azhier Farhan Arisin.
