TWO friends were sentenced to life imprisonment by the high court today after it found them guilty of trafficking drugs into the country about three years ago.
Judge Datuk Muhammad Jamil Hussin handed down the sentence on Lee Chuen Hoe, 44, and Chen Kok Kwong, 59, after finding that the defence had failed to raise reasonable doubt against the prosecution’s case at the end of the defence case.
“The court found that the drug was under the custody and control of the first accused (Lee) and the second accused (Chen) and they knew the purpose of the drug (for distribution). Therefore, both accused are found guilty of the charges,” he said.
The judge sentenced both of them to life imprisonment, to be served from the date of their arrest on June 21, 2021, with Lee to also be given 12 strokes of the cane.
However, judge Jamil acquitted and discharged the third accused, So Hoong Piau, 29, of the charge.
The three of them were jointly charged with trafficking 305.1 gm of methamphetamine in front of Ling Chiropractic Treatment Centre at Jalan Perkasa, Aked Esplanad in Bukit Jalil, at 6.20pm on June 21, 2021.
The charge, framed under Section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, provides the death penalty upon conviction.
Deputy public prosecutor Noor Dayana Mohamed prosecuted while lawyers Syaheera Rosli and Manveer Singh represented Lee and Chen, respectively. – Bernama, February 21, 2024.
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