KUCHING: The High Court yesterday discharged and acquitted an Indian national from a drug trafficking charge.
Justice Datuk Rhodzariah Bujang freed Ramasamy Mahendran, 43, from the charge framed against him after she ruled that the prosecution had failed to prove a prima facie case.
Ramasamy was charged for allegedly possessing 6.073g of ketamine when arrested at the airport arrival hall around 2.30pm on Feb 22 last year.
Drug trafficking, under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1953, provides for the death penalty.
A total of seven prosecution witnesses were called to testify at the trial.
Ramasamy had been remanded in prison since Feb 23 last year as the offence is non-bailable.
He has been placed under the custody of the Immigration Department.
Deputy public prosecutor (DPP) Noor Fadzilla Ishak stood in for DPP Mohd Khairuddin Idris, while counsels Osman Ibrahim and Fadzillah Osman represented Ramasamy.