KOTA KINABALU: The Sessions Court here which could not get a clear picture of when a man charged with planting cannabis was prescribed his medication, will be calling a doctor to explain this matter on September 25.
“I wanna know when he was given the medication,” said judge Azreena Aziz to investigating officer (IO) of the accused Chai Kong Ming’s case after the accused claimed that he was just given medication which he was supposed to be prescribed, only two days ago.
The female IO, who present in court, explained that she had called a doctor at the prisons and she was informed that the accused had been prescribed his medication as per dosage which he supposed to consume.
“When was he given this medication?, two days ago?”, the judge asked the IO.
The accused, who claimed to have suffered from pancreatic neuroendocrine tumour, insisted that he was just prescribed the medication two days ago whereby he was supposed to be referred to a hospital on September 11 as ordered by the same court when the accused was brought to court on September 9.
The judge had again asked the same question to the IO and the IO said that all the accused’s appointments with doctor are allegedly managed by the prisons.
“I had ordered for the accused be referred on September 11 right?”, the judge asked.
The IO answered “Yes, I did bring him to the hospital, but after looking at his cards, a doctor, who entertained his case said that the prisons will manage it in order to control movements of accused persons from prisons”.
“Please call the doctor, I want a full black and white report on September 25,” the judge stressed to the IO.
The court is expected to decide yesterday whether to release the accused on a bail or not for allegedly planting cannabis at a house in Kepayan.
No plea was recorded from 52-year-old accused during his first arraignment on September 9 as the drug analysis report was not ready.
The unrepresented accused had on that day begged for mercy from the court to grant him a lower bail on the grounds that he is insulin dependent patient, who also has kidney problem and hepatitis B.
It was reported that the accused further said that he also has to attend constant review at a government hospital here.
“Can I be granted a bail?” he asked the judge that day.
The judge said that “will decide on September 18”.
It was further reported that the judge had also ordered for the IO to refer the accused to a hospital on September 11.
The prosecution told the court that according to the accused, he claimed that he has tumour and the prosecution requested for medical chekup to be conducted on the accused.
When inquired by the court, the accused, who did not bring any of his medical proof, explained that he had been admitted to a hospital in 2019 and discharged.
He further explained that some of his medical checkups were carried out in Kepayan.
The accused also claimed to have been deprived from medication when at the detention.
He was accused of planting the cannabis at a house in Kepayan at 5.15pm on August 11.
The charge was under Section 6B (1) (a), punishable under Section 6B (3), both of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
If found guilty, the accused is liable to an imprisonment for life and whipping, upon conviction.
His case was also set for re-mention on October 26, pending the production of the drug analysis report for the cannabis.
The accused is currently detained in custody under Section 259 of the Criminal Procedure Code.