KOTA TINGGI: A married couple and a female acquaintance were charged in the Sessions Court today with drug trafficking offences committed last week.
Muhammad Fairul Jaafar, 43, his Indonesian wife Elika Safitri, 33, and NurSahkila Yusof, 39, faced joint charges for trafficking 80,330 grammes of methamphetamine.
The alleged offence occurred at Jalan Anggerik 8, Taman Sri Penawar, Kota Tinggi, at 10.30 pm on September 2.
All three defendants nodded in understanding when the charges were read separately before Judge Hayda Faridzal Abu Hasan.
No plea was recorded as the case falls under the jurisdiction of the High Court.
The charges were framed under Section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which carries the death penalty or life imprisonment upon conviction.
Conviction under this section also mandates not less than 15 strokes of the cane.
Deputy public prosecutor Nor Afiqah Musa represented the prosecution in the case.
Muhammad Fairul and Elika Safitri were represented by lawyer Nor Shahid Abd Malik.
The court denied bail for all three defendants and set October 13 for mention pending submission of the chemistry report.
In a separate proceeding in the same court, Muhammad Fairul faced additional drug-related charges.
The workshop operator was charged with self-administering methamphetamine and amphetamine at the Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department office.
This offence allegedly occurred at the Kota Tinggi District Police Headquarters at approximately 8.50 pm on September 18, 2023.
This charge was framed under Section 15(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 and punishable under Section 15(1) of the same Act.
The penalty for this charge includes a fine not exceeding 5,000 ringgit or up to two years imprisonment.
Conviction would also require supervision for not less than two years and not more than three years.
Muhammad Fairul pleaded not guilty to this separate charge.
The court set the same October 13 date for mention of this additional case. – Bernama