By Dorcas Ting
KUCHING, Sept 3: A 51-year-old man, Ismawi Saruji, has been sentenced to life imprisonment by the High Court today after pleading guilty to trafficking 25.9 kilogrammes of methamphetamine in 2021.
The sentence was handed down by Judge Datuk Faridz Gohim Abdullah, who considered Ismawi’s guilty plea, his appeal, the factual evidence, and the severity of the offense. The judge also emphasised the importance of public interest in his decision.
No caning was imposed on Ismawi due to his age, as Malaysian law exempts individuals over 50 years old from corporal punishment.
According to the charges, Ismawi committed the offense on Sept 18, 2021, around 5.45am, near Kampung Sejijak on Jalan Tebedu-Serian.
He was charged under Section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 and sentenced according to Section 39B(2) of the same act.
The case details revealed that the General Operations Force (PGA) conducted surveillance at Pasar Bandar Mutiara in Tebedu, Serian, on the day of the incident.
They stopped Ismawi, who was driving a multipurpose vehicle (MPV), for inspection.
The inspection led to the discovery of four bags inside the vehicle, each containing several transparent packets suspected to be methamphetamine.
Ismawi was subsequently arrested along with the evidence and taken to Tebedu police station for further investigation.
The seized items were weighed at the station, with each bag having a gross weight of 9,000 grammes.
During the investigation, the evidence was sent to the Chemistry Department of Malaysia for analysis. A chemical report dated Oct 26, 2021, confirmed that the substances contained 25,991.3 grammes of methamphetamine.
Further police investigations revealed that Ismawi admitted to trafficking the drugs on the day of the raid.
He also disclosed that the MPV was rented and used by him for the purpose of drug distribution.
Methamphetamine is listed in the First Schedule of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Yong Suk Hui prosecuted the case, while Ismawi was represented by court-appointed lawyers Candida Entri and Abang Mohd Tosen Abang Sharbini. — DayakDaily
