JOHOR BARU, March 15 — Four men were acquitted and discharged by the High Court here today on a charge of trafficking in 305.6g of heroin in Kulai, three years ago.

Judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah made the decision after the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case against Seah Chee Chong, 37, his brother Chee Yien, 41, Tan Siew Kee, 61, and Tee Hock Lian, 44, at the end of the prosecution’s case.

The quartet were charged together with trafficking the drug at a car park in front of a men’s toilet at the Skudai toll plaza on the North-South Highway, Off Jalan Senai, Kulai, at about 9pm on May 19, 2014.

The charge under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 provides for the mandatory death sentence if convicted.

Sequerah in his judgment said there were inconsistencies in the prosecution witnesses’ testimonies, namely between the agent provocateur and officer who made the arrest.

"There was no deal between the buyer and seller and, in fact, no money was found during the alleged transaction,” the judge said.

The prosecution was conducted by deputy public prosecutor Nor Iffa Zarilla Abd Rahman.

Chee Chong, Chee Yien and Tee were represented by counsel G. Subramaniam Nair while Tan was represented by Sukhaimi Mashud. — Bernama