Pinoy Facing Drug Charges in Malaysia Offered Chance to Escape Death Penalty

A Filipino facing possible death sentence in Malaysia for drug trafficking has been offered the lesser charge of drug possession, an online report said Wednesday.

If convicted on the lesser charge, Hamid Ali, 34, will likely be sentenced to life imprisonment or not less than five years and a minimum of 10 strokes of the cane, according to a report on the Daily Express.

Drug trafficking, meanwhile, is punishable by death in Malaysia under Section 39B(1)(a) of its Dangerous Drugs Act, the report said.

Ali was charged with drug trafficking on August 14, 2014 after he was found with 63.06 grams of shabu or methamphetamine hydrochloride in front of a budget hotel in Ranau.

The report said the prosecution offered the alternative charge on Tuesday when Ali’s case was brought for mention before High Court Deputy Registrar Mohd Zairi Zainal Abidin.

Abidin has set February 18 for Ali’s hearing should the suspect pleads guilty to drug possession.

Ali currently serves a five-year jail term and was ordered caned twice for taking drugs. Rie Takumi/KBK, GMA News

 

(Source: GMAnetwork.com)

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