By Dorcas Ting
KUCHING, Nov 30: A 27-year-old insurance agent claimed trial to a charge of trafficking 17.55kg of ganja.
Maxine Rose Frederick, 27, pleaded not guilty to the charge framed under Section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, punishable under Section 39B(2) of the same Act, which carries a death sentence or life imprisonment, upon conviction.
High Court Judge Datuk Zaleha Rose Pandin fixed January 4, 2022 for the mention of the case.
The accused was arrested by the Royal Malaysian Customs Department (Customs) Sarawak personnel at the international arrival hall of the Kuching International Airport, for trafficking compressed plant leaves believed to be 18,264 grammes of cannabis-type drugs, at about 3.25pm on April 28, 2021.
After the chemist report by the Chemist Department, it was found that the plant leaves confiscated by the Customs were 17.55kg of cannabis.
The suspect was returning from Kuala Lumpur on April 28 and stopped by a Customs officer. Further inspection of her two luggage bags led to the discovery of 18 packages wrapped using giftwrapping paper and carbon paper containing compressed plant leaves suspected to be cannabis-type drugs, with an estimated value of RM45,660.
Sarawak Customs director Herman Shah Abdullah on May 3 told the press that the suspect said she was in Kuala Lumpur to care for her mother in a hospital for a week and had been asked by a friend to bring the packages to Kuching with the guarantee of being given a job in a company in Serian.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Musli Abd Hamid prosecuted while the accused was represented by Counsels Roger Chin and Osman Ibrahim. — DayakDaily
