Businessman’s drug trafficking case transferred to High Court

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KOTA KINABALU: The Magistrate’s Court here yesterday transferred the case of a businessman who allegedly trafficked in 1,609 grams of cocaine, to the High Court here.

Deputy registrar of the High Court, Ryan Sangirann Rayner Jr, who sat as a magistrate, made the order on Tan Boon Kwang, 32, after allowing an application by the prosecution to transfer the case to the High Court for plea and trial.

The accused faces the mandatory death sentence upon conviction under Section 39B (1) (a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.

No plea was recorded from the accused who hails from Penang.

Tan was caught at the Crime Investigation Department, Kota Kinabalu International Airport Terminal Two, for allegedly trafficking the drug at 5.45am on October 26, 2013.

He was ordered to be further held in custody under Section 259 of the Criminal Procedure Code pending disposal of the case as the alleged offence is non-bailable.

This case was first brought to court on November 6, 2013.

In a separate case, two men were convicted in the same court for separate charges of possessing syabu.

Liew En Choi, 44, was jailed six months for possessing 0.17 gram of syabu at an unnumbered house at Bukit Nenas on April 11, while Frender M Walis was fined RM2,500, in default, five months’ jail for having 0.06 gram of syabu at the Taman Intan roadside in Penampang, on May 20.

Both of them pleaded guilty under Section 12 (3) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 which carries a maximum fine of RM100,000 or a jail term of up to five years, upon conviction.

Prosecuting officer Inspector Syahrin Ali prosecuted.

In an unrelated case, four local men were each fined by the Traffic Court after they admitted to their charges of driving their vehicles while under the influence of alcohol.

Lim Xhan Xing, 20, was fined RM1,500, in default, six months’ jail, Thomas Asing, 33, received RM1,300 fine, in default, six months’ jail, while Junis Gilong, 51 and Louis Voo, 29, were each fined RM1,600, in default, three months’ jail and RM2,000, in default, one month’s imprisonment, respectively.

They were charged under Section 45A (1) of the Road Transport Act Act 1987, which carries a maximum fine of RM6,000 or a jail term of up to 12 months, upon conviction.

The four accused were arrested during separate operations along Jalan Bundusan and Jalan Lintas on June 21.