MELAKA: A 26-year-old man has been sentenced to life in prison and 15 strokes of the rotan for trafficking 5kg of cannabis at a car park in Bukit Katil here, two years ago.
High Court judge Datuk Anselm Charles Fernandis handed down the sentence to Muhammad Haziq Mohd Kalil, 26, after he pleaded guilty yesterday.
"When the incident occurred, you were with your wife, who was seven months pregnant. Even though you knew the severe punishment for this offence, you took the risk and continued without considering your wife and children at home."
Anselm said he took into account several factors, including the accused's young age – 24 years old at the time of his arrest – his two young children, including a two-year-old born in prison on Nov 30, 2022, and the ill health of the accused's mother.
"I also considered that the accused only pleaded guilty on the second day of the trial, after three prosecution witnesses had testified.
"I will not impose the death penalty, and I believe that life imprisonment and 15 strokes of the rotan is sufficient," he said.
The court, however, acquitted and discharged his wife, Nadia Uzid, 25, who had pleaded not guilty to the same charge, after the prosecution requested the court to consider two representations made by the couple's lawyer, Andrew Lourdes.
The prosecution was represented by deputy public prosecutors Nor Azizah Yusof and Muhammad Nazrin Ali Rahim.
Muhammad Haziq and Nadia Uzid were jointly accused of trafficking 5.2kg of cannabis in a car at the Bayou Square car park, Jalan Wakaf Utama, Bukit Katil, at 11.30pm on Sept 24, 2022.
They were charged under Section 39(B)(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which is punishable under Section 39B(2) of the same act, read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code.