Chong Siew Fai CJ (Sabah & Sarawak):

This appeal was against the decision of the High Court at Johor Bahru in which the appellant was convicted on a charge of drug trafficking under s. 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 ('the Act') and sentenced to death under s. 39B(2) thereof. At the conclusion of the hearing, we unanimously allowed the appeal, quashed the conviction and set aside the death sentence. As conceded on behalf of the appellant, which we considered justified, we substituted therefor a conviction under s. 6 of the Act and, after hearing the plea in mitigation, sentenced the appellant to imprisonment for a term of 16 years with effect from the date of his arrest and 10 strokes of whipping. We had then indicated that the grounds of the judgment would be given later, which we now do.

The charge against the appellant reads:

Bahawa kamu pada 31hb Oktober 1990, jam lebih kurang 7.45 malam, di kawasan rumah setinggan di Jalan Kubur; Kampong Bakar Batu, di dalam daerah Johor Bahru, dalam Negeri Johor, telah didapati mengedar dadah berbahaya iaitu cannabis, sejumlah berat 1784.8 gram, dan dengan itu kamu telah melakukan satu kesalahan di bawah seksyen 39B(1)(a)