KOTA KINABALU: A man was fined RM2,300, in default, five months’ jail by the Magistrate’s Court here yesterday for possessing 0.01 gram syabu.
Magistrate Stephanie Sherron Abbie imposed the fine on Asnan Jinol after he pleaded guilty to the charge under Section 12 (3) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 which carries a maximum fine of RM100,000 or a prison term no longer than five years.
He was arrested during Ops Tapis at a roadside along Jalan Lok Kawi on April 22.
Prosecuting officer Inspector Lim Swee Beng told the court that during the operation, police personnel stopped Asnan’s car where the accused tried to escape and was seen throwing away an object.
The police then took the said object and sent it to the Chemistry Department for examination and a drug analysis report showed that it was syabu.
Meanwhile, four men were charged in the same court for separate charges of possessing syabu.
Mahbud Falah and Monel Alih faced a joint charge of having 5.07grams syabu while Rosli Bahar and Mohammad Noah Juman, were jointly charged with possessing 0.08 grams syabu.
No plea was recorded from Mahbud, Monel, Rosli and Mohammad Noah.
Mahbud and Monel were arrested for allegedly having the drug at a fuel station along Jalan Lintas in Luyang on June 16 and as for Rosli and Mohammad Noah, they were caught at Taman Jaya Diri along Jalan Sepanggar, Menggatal at 6.18pm on June 16.
The court set July 23 for the case management of the four accused persons.
In the meantime, Mahbud and Monel were released on bail of RM2,500 and RM1,500 bail, respectively, while Rosli and Mohammad Noad were each granted bail of RM2,000, with two local sureties each.
In a separate case, five men were each fined RM1,800, in default, four months’ jail by the same court for consuming drug.
The accused persons admitted to each of their charges under Section 15 (1)(a) of the same Act which provides for a maximum fine of RM5,000 or a jail term of up to two years.
The court also ordered the accused persons to be placed under police supervision for two years.