Online seller escapes the gallows for drug trafficking

KUALA LUMPUR: An online seller escaped the gallows today after he was acquitted and discharged by the High Court here of two counts of trafficking cannabis and methamphetamine last year, without his defence being called.
The court also freed Mohd Hafidz Mohd Razali, 32, of two counts of drug possession and another count of possession of an aluminium foil with 10 pills containing poisonous substance, Phenazepam.
Judge Mohd Azman Husin made the decision after finding that the prosecution had failed to prove a prima facie case against Mohd Hafidz for all the charges.
In his judgement, Mohd Azman said there were many loopholes in the prosecution's case and the accused's knowledge about the drugs could not be proved.
"Therefore, the accused shall be acquitted and discharged without his defence being called," Mohd Azman said.
Mohd Hafidz was accused of trafficking 4.2kg of cannabis and 94.51g of methamphetamine at a condominium unit in Setapak here at 8.30 pm on Oct 10.
For the two counts, he was charged under Section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 which carries a mandatory death penalty upon conviction.
He was also charged with two counts of possession of 6.62gm of Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and 0.47gm of Nimetazepam, besides another count of possession of an aluminium foil with 10 orange-coloured pills containing poisonous substance, Phenazepam, on the same day at the same time and place.
For the third and fourth count, he was charged under Section 12(2) of the same Act, which carries a maximum fine of RM100,000 or imprisonment of five years, while for the fifth count, he was charged under Section 30(5) of the Poisons Act 1952 which carries a maximum fine of RM10,000 or imprisonment of 10 years, or both, if convicted.
Mohd Hafidz, who sells clothes and shoes online and a father of a seven-month-old girl, appeared relieved with the court's decision.
Deputy public prosecutor Nurul Ashiqin Zulkifli prosecuted, while Mohd Hafidz was represented by lawyer Afifuddin Ahmad Hafifi. – Bernama