Four escape gallows after acquittal on drug charges

MUAR: Four individuals, including two sisters, escaped the gallows after being acquitted and discharged by the High Court here from drug distribution charges.

The accused, Siti Suhaida Ayob, 40; Suraya Ayob, 49; Hilmi Rosli, 37; and Mohd Asraf Md Salleh, 46, were charged under Section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which provides for the mandatory death sentence upon conviction.

High Court Judge Datuk Wira Halijah Abbas made the decision after finding that the prosecution had failed to prove a prima facie case against the accused.

According to the charge sheets, the four have allegedly distributed drugs, namely heroin and monoacetylmorphine (an opioid) weighing 130.83g.

The offence was allegedly committed at 1.30pm on July 3, 2019, in a supermarket parking lot on Jalan Bongsu, Parit Sulong, Batu Pahat.

The charge was framed under Section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which was read with Section 34 of the Penal Code, which provides for the death sentence.

The case was prosecuted by Deputy Public Prosecutor Nor Syamilah Jalaluddin, while the accused were represented by S. Vijaya Retnam @ Veizay, Lydiana Mansor, Nor Hafizah Abdullah, Dahlia Tan Pui San, and M. Vinodharan.