College student freed of drug trafficking charge

SHAH ALAM: The High Court today discharged and acquitted an Aeronautics student of trafficking 412.3 grams of cannabis three years ago.

Judge Dr Hazlina Hussain ruled this after finding that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case against R. Abishek Raj, 22, at the end of the prosecution case.

She noted that the prosecution had not proven the necessary elements related to drug control and care, and highlighted contradictions in the testimony of its witnesses.

Abishek Raj was charged with trafficking dangerous drugs, namely cannabis weighing 412.3 grams, at an apartment unit in Damansara Damai, Petaling, at 10 pm on Nov 15, 2021.

He was charged under Section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which is punishable under Section 39(B)(2) of the same law, which provides for the death penalty or life imprisonment, and if not sentenced to death, must be punished with minimum 12 strokes of the cane, upon conviction.

The accused was represented by lawyer Sivahnanthan Ragava, while the prosecution was handled by deputy public prosecutor Mohd Firdaus Mohd Idris.

Six prosecution witnesses testified in the case.