KUCHING: The High Court on Friday (June 21) sentenced an unemployed man to eight years in prison and 10 lashes of the cane for possession of cannabis and methamphetamine in February last year.
Amirul Hafiz Safek Effendi, 29, pleaded guilty to one alternative charge and one amended charge before Judge Leonard David Shim.
Under the alternative charge, he was prosecuted under Section 6 of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 and could be punished under Section 39(2) of the same Act for possessing 531.5g of cannabis.
The section carries a sentence of life imprisonment or a minimum of five years and not less than 10 lashes if convicted.
For the amended charge, he was prosecuted under Section 12(2) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 and could be punished under subsection 12(3) of the same Act for possessing 3.16g of methamphetamine.
Both offences were committed in an apartment room in Batu Kawa around 10.45am on Feb 24, 2023.
Judge Shim sentenced him to eight years in prison and 10 lashes for the alternative charge and 10 months in prison for the amended charge.
The court ordered the sentences to run concurrently starting from the date of arrest, Feb 24, 2024.
Deputy public prosecutor Danial Mohammad Ali handled the prosecution while the accused was represented by lawyer Gerald Empaling Donald.
