High Court acquits, discharges two of possessing poisons, drugs
MELAKA - Two men were discharged and acquitted by the Ayer Keroh High Court on charges of possessing 137.797 kilogrammes (kg) of various types of poisons, 2.061 kg of heroin and 5.39 litres of chloroform five years ago.
Chua Shiau Boon, 48, and Seow Book Boon, 45, were seen shaking hands in the dock after Judge Mohd Radzi Abdul Hamid read out the verdict.
Mohd Radzi said the court found that the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case against the accused as they failed to summon a key witness, Chan Eng Chin, 35.
"Cigarette butts and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) found in the house could not link the accused to drug possession because there were traces of other people’s fingerprints,” he said at the proceedings today.
Chua and Seow faced eight amended charges, including possessing 134 kg of caffeine (three charges), 2.549 kg of chloroquine (two charges), 2.061 kg of heroin, 1.248 kg of nitrazepam, and 5.39 litres of chloroform.
They were charged with committing these offences at a house located at 125 Tranquerah Residence, Jalan Tengkera, here on Oct 2, 2018, at around 9.45 am.
The charge was framed under Section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 and can be punished under Section 39B (2) of the same Act and read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code, which carries a punishment of either the death penalty or life imprisonment and whipping with a minimum of 15 strokes, on conviction.
They were also charged under Sections 30 (3) and 9 (1) of the Poisons Act.
Deputy public prosecutor Asri Sidek prosecuted, while lawyers Tiu Leong Kim and Andrew Lourdes represented Chua and Seow, respectively. - BERNAMA
