Back
2025 MarsdenLR 3059
HIGH COURT MALAYA SHAH ALAM
PP – Appellant
Versus
SUKUMARAN SELVANATHAN & OTHER CASE – Respondent
[Criminal No: BA-45A-135-12/2022 BA-45A-122-12/2023 BA-45A-123-12/2023 & BA-45A-124-12/2023]
The prosecution must prove the identity of seized drugs beyond a reasonable doubt; unexplained discrepancies in weight create reasonable doubt, leading to acquittal.
Headnote:(A) Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 - Sections 39B(1)(a) and 39B(2) - Criminal Procedure Code - Section 180 - The accused was charged with drug trafficking offenses involving significant amounts of heroin and methamphetamine. The prosecution's case was based on possession and trafficking, but the court found serious discrepancies in the weight of the drugs, leading to a failure to establish a prima facie case. The court emphasized the importance of proving the identity of seized drugs and noted that unexplained discrepancies in weight create reasonable doubt. (Paras 29-54)
(B) Prima Facie Case - The court reiterated that the prosecution must establish each element of the offense to warrant a conviction. The failure to provide credible evidence of the identity of the drugs led to the acquittal of the accused. (Paras 24-28)
Facts of the case:
The accused was charged in four cases with trafficking in dangerous drugs, with significant quantities of heroin and methamphetamine seized during police operations on 17 May 2021. The defense challenged the evidence based on discrepancies in drug weights and other evidentiary issues.
Findings of Court:
The court found that the prosecution failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt the identities of the impugned drugs due to significant weight discrepancies, leading to the collapse of the prosecution's case.
Issues: The main issues included the identity of the drugs seized, the discrepancies in weight, and whether the prosecution had established a prima facie case.
Ratio Decidendi: The court held that unexplained discrepancies in the weight of drugs create a reasonable doubt regarding their identity, which is crucial for establishing a prima facie case.
Result: The accused is acquitted and discharged from all charges.
Introduction
[1] On 24 January 2024, the learned Deputy of Public Prosecutor (DPP) applied for the abovesaid four (4) cases (ie Case No BA-45A-135- 12/2022, BA-45A-122-12/2023, BA-45A-123-12/2023 and BA-45A-124- 12/2023) to be heard together on the grounds that all four (4) cases involved similar transactions, same accused and even the dates of the commission of the offences are similar. The learned defence counsel raised no objections to the said application. Hence, this Court allowed the abovesaid four (4) cases to be heard together.
[2] In these four (4) cases, the accused was charged with the offences of drugs trafficking in dangerous drugs under s 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 ('the Act') and punishable under s 39B(2) of the Act.
[3] The charges against the accused read as follows:
Case No. BA-45A-135-12/2022
Bahawa kamu pada 17 May 2021 jam lebih kurang 2.15 petang di unit rumah No A-14-10, Eight Kinrara, Blok A, Jalan BK 5A/1, Bandar Kinrara, Puchong, dalam Daerah Petaling; di dalam Negeri Selangor Darul Ehsan telah didapati mengedar dadah berbahaya Heroin dengan berat 1758.9 gram dan Monoacetylmorphine dengan berat 601.0 gram. Oieh itu, kamu telah meiakukan satu kesalahan di bawah s 39B(1)(a) Akta Dadah Berbahaya 1952 dan boleh dihukum di bawah s 39B(2) Akta yang sama.
Case No. BA-45A-122-12/2023
Bahawa kamu pada 17 May 2021 jam lebih kurang 1.30 petang di tempat letak kenderaan no petak L4-24, Aras 3, Eight Kinrara, Blok A, Jalan BK 5A/1, Bandar Kinrara, Puchong, dalam Daerah Petaling, di dalam Negeri Selangor Darul Ehsan telah didapati memperedarkan dadah berbahaya sejumlah berat bersih 7732.7 gram Methamphetamine. Oieh itu, kamu telah meiakukan satu kesalahan di bawah s 39B(1)(a) Akta Dadah Berbahaya 1952 dan boleh dihukum di bawah s 39B(2) Akta yang sama.
Case No. BA-45A-123-12/2023
Bahawa kamu pada 17 May 2021 jam lebih kurang 1.30 petang di tempat letak kenderaan no petak L4-24, Aras 3, Eight Kinrara, Blok A, Jalan BK 5AJ1, Bandar Kinrara, Puchong, dalam Daerah Petaling, di dalam Negeri Selangor Darul Ehsan telah didapati mengedar dadah berbahaya Heroin dengan berat 186.5 gram dan Monoacetylmorphine dengan berat 37.0 gram. Oieh itu, kamu telah meiakukan satu kesalahan di bawah s 39B(1)(a) Akta Dadah Berbahaya 1952 dan boleh dihukum di bawah s 39B(2) Akta yang sama.
and Case No BA-45A-124-12/2023
Bahawa kamu pada 17 May 2021 jam lebih kurang 2.15 petang di unit rumah No A-14-10, Eight Kinrara, Blok A, Jalan BK 5A/1, Bandar Kinrara, Puchong, dalam Daerah Petaling, di dalam Negeri Selangor Darul Ehsan telah didapati memperedarkan dadah berbahaya sejumlah berat bersih 20575.6 gram Methamphetamine. Oleh itu, kamu telah melakukan satu kesalahan di bawah s 39B(1)(a) Akta Dadah Berbahaya 1952 dan boleh dihukum di bawah s 39B(2) Akta yang sama.
Prosecution Case
[3] A total of twelve (12) prosecution witnesses were called where their testimonies may be summarized as follows.
[4] On 17 May 2021, ASP Devendran a/I Muthukrishnan (PW11) from the Special Task Force of the Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department, Selangor, received information regarding drugs trafficking activities by an Indian syndicate which would take place in a grey colour Perodua Myvi bearing car registration number VFP 4957 ("the said car") at Aras 4, Eight Kinrara, Block A, Jalan BK 5A/1, Bandar Kinrara 47180 Puchong Malaysia ("the said car park").
[5] Acting on this information, at 12.00 noon the same day, PW11 conducted a short briefing with his team of seven (7) other police personnel. PW11 ordered his team to be armed, dressed in plain clothes and also to wear luminous police vests for the said operation. Thereafter, at 12.30 pm., PW11 and his team departed to the said car park in two (2) unmarked police cars, ie a Honda Civic bearing car registration No WNF 2564 and Izusu Dmax bearing car registration No WA 516.
[6] At about 1.15 pm, PW11 and his men arrived at the said car park |where PW11 saw the said car was already p
