Mat Sabu's son wins appeal, acquitted in drug case
Former defence minister Mohamad Sabu’s son, Ahmad Saiful Islam, today walked free from a drug case conviction.
The Kuala Lumpur High Court today allowed the 33-year-old’s appeal to overturn the guilty verdict and eight-month jail sentence over the drug abuse case...
Former defence minister Mohamad Sabu’s son, Ahmad Saiful Islam, today walked free from a drug case conviction.
The Kuala Lumpur High Court today allowed the 33-year-old’s appeal to overturn the guilty verdict and eight-month jail sentence over the drug abuse case.
Saiful’s (above) counsel Nasar Khan today confirmed that judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah allowed the appeal.
“Appeal is allowed,” the lawyer said when contacted after proceedings. He also confirmed that Sequerah’s decision today quashed the conviction as well as jail sentence.
Nasar explained that the High Court found that there was a problem with the authorities' procedure to obtain drug samples in the case.
"The issue of the obtaining of urine samples did not comply with IGSO F103, which required two specimen bottles to be taken.
"In Saiful's case, only one bottle was taken and the police conducted screening test on that bottle, and later sent the same bottle to the lab," the lawyer added.
Custodial sentence
On June 24 last year, the Kuala Lumpur Magistrate’s Court found Saiful (above) guilty of the offence and imposed an eight-month jail term.
Saiful was alleged to have used THC-type drugs at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur at 2.05am on Jan 5, last year.
His charge was framed under Section 15(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which carries a maximum sentence of two years in jail, or fine not exceeding RM5,000, or both if convicted.
The lower court ordered Saiful to serve the custodial sentence from June 24 last year. However, it allowed the accused’s application to stay the jail term, pending disposal of his appeal at the High Court.
Six prosecution witnesses and two defence witnesses, including the accused, took to the witness stand during the trial which began on Oct 15, 2019.
On June 19, 2019, the media reported that Saiful was charged six days earlier at the Kuala Lumpur Magistrate's Court with the consumption of the drugs.
He claimed trial under Section 15(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which specified a maximum fine of RM5,000 or a maximum two-year jail term.
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