Three drug charges: The court set Yasin’s trial in March next year
PETALING JAYA: The Sessions Court here today fixed 15 days from March next year for the trial of three drug charges facing nasyid singer and composer, Yasin Sulaiman, 47.
Judge Jamaludin Mat set the trial for March 2023 after the prosecution and defense agreed on the proposed and set dates.
The hearing dates are 6 to 10, 13 to 17 Jan 20 to 24 March.
“Although we have tried as early as possible, we believe that the court also has priorities and there is also a longer order of cases other than Yasin’s case. So we respect the court’s decision,” said the lawyer representing Yasin Ariff Azami Hussein who was met by the media outside the court.
Earlier during the proceedings, Deputy Public Prosecutor Mohd. Asnawi Abu Hanipah informed that he had submitted the documents related to the case to the defense and all three cases were tried together.
The court then fixed October 4 for the next case management before the trial began.
On July 6, the prosecution announced that the charge of trafficking was withdrawn and Yasin was charged with a new charge of possessing drugs weighing 193.7 grams.
According to the new charge, Yasin was found in possession of a dangerous drug of cannabis weighing 193.7 grams at a condominium in Persiaran Surian Damansara Indah Resort Home, PJU 3, Kota Damansara here at 5.30 pm on 24 March (2022).
Yasin, who pleaded not guilty, was charged under Section 6 of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 and can be punished under Section 39A(2) of the same act which provides for life imprisonment or not less than five years and can also be subjected to a lashing of not less than 10 lashes if convicted.
Meanwhile for another charge, Yasin also pleaded not guilty to the charge of planting 17 trees in plastic pots filled with soil from which cannabis was obtained directly or indirectly at the same place, time and date as the charge according to Section 6B(1) (a) Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
Under Section 6B(3) of the same act of the Penal Code, the accused faces life imprisonment and caning not less than six times if convicted.
The accused was also charged with another charge and pleaded not guilty, namely giving himself a dangerous drug of the type ’11-nor-delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol-9- carboxylic acid’ at the Petaling Jaya District Headquarters Narcotics Office (IPD), at 11.05pm on the same date .
For that offence, the charges are brought under Section 15 (1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act (ADB) 1952 and can be punished under Section 15 (1) of the same act, which carries a fine of not more than RM5,000 or a maximum of two years in prison , if convicted.
Meanwhile, the accused’s brother, Zain Sulaiman, 50, who was also present at the court session today, hoped that there would be better developments in the case involving his brother.
“God willing, we really hope that there will be something good at the end of this case and we take this opportunity to say thank you to all those who supported Yasin,” he said when met by the media here.
source – Raja Hisyam Raja Zaid
