Corpun file 26508 at www.corpun.com
The Borneo Post, Kuching, 15 December 2016, p.7
Youth escapes gallows when charged with drug possession
By Anasathia Jenis
KUCHING: A youth escaped the gallows yesterday after the High Court here reduced his charge from drug trafficking to possession.
Tristan Ryan Ang Khee Liang, 20, was sentenced to six years in prison and 10 strokes of the rotan after pleading guilty to the alternative charge under Section 6 of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which is punishable under Section 39A (2) of the same Act.
The Section provides for life imprisonment or not less than five years in jail as well as a minimum 10 strokes of the rotan.
Ang appeared before Justice Datuk Rhodzariah Bujang, who upon an application made by the prosecutor withdrew the original charge under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs 1952, that provides for the mandatory death sentence.
He admitted having in his possession 279.7g of cannabis when detained by police at a house at Lorong Setia Raja here on May 30 around noon.
Ang was also sentenced to two months in prison for the second charge for possessing 12.7g of cannabis, and another two months for the third charge of being in possession of 16.8g of cannabis, after being convicted under Section 6 of the same Act, which provides for a maximum five years in prison.
The judge ordered all custodial sentences to run concurrently from the date of his arrest.
Rhodzariah said Ang was only 19 when he committed the offence, had expressed remorse during mitigation, and promised to mend his ways.
"I have also considered that the accused was moved to consume drugs as a result of a very difficult childhood," she said.
In mitigation, Ang had told the court through his defence team that he came from a broken family and could not complete his studies at a private college, leading to his involvement in drugs.
Ang was represented by defence counsel Roger Chin and Osman Ibrahim, while DPP Hayda Faridzal Abu Hasan prosecuted.
