Death penalty for drug trafficking duo

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Mohammad Noor (right) leaving the courtroom with his counsel Rakhbir (left).

Mohammad Noor (right) leaving the courtroom with his counsel Rakhbir (left).

KOTA KINABALU: Two men were sentenced to death by the High Court here yesterday after being found guilty of trafficking in drugs.

Justice Datuk Nurchaya Hj Arshad meted out the sentence on Andy Majudil, 35, and Mohammad Noor Jumat, 37, after finding both of them guilty as charged under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which carries the mandatory death sentence, upon conviction.

In delivering her verdict, she ruled that the defence had failed to raise reasonable doubt against the prosecution’s case while the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt against both accused persons. Therefore, both were convicted and sentenced to death by hanging by the neck until death, the judge ruled.

Both Andy and Mohammad Noor appeared calm when their sentences were passed while a weeping sound from the visitor’s gallery broke the silence in the courtroom when the decision on Mohammad Noor was passed.

Andy was found to have trafficked in 745.6 grams of syabu at Taman Nelly in Kolombong, Inanam at 9.30pm on November 19, 2013, while, Mohammad Noor, a Bruneian, was found to have trafficked in 52.1 grams of syabu at the same date and place.

Outside the courtroom, a commotion erupted between a member of the accused’s family and a media reporter when an attempt was made to prevent the latter from taking Mohammad Noor’s picture.

Claiming that the reporter had hit her, a female member of the accused’s family had slapped the hand of the reporter holding a cellphone to take a picture of the accused.

The commotion broke out when the court policemen intervened to escort Andy and Mohammad Noor out of the courtroom with the accused’s family members following behind.

Deputy public prosecutor Wan Farrah Farriza Wan Ghazali prosecuted while counsels Ram Singh and Dato’ Sri Rakhbir Singh defended the accused persons.