GEORGE TOWN, Oct 2 — The High Court here today ordered three men, including two Iranians, and a woman to enter their defence on an amended charge of trafficking in drug into the country four years ago.
Judge Datuk Akhtar Tahir made the order after finding that the prosecution had succeeded in establishing a prima facie case against J. Balakrishnan, 63, B. Lacheme Devi, 56, and the two Iranians, Mohammad Abbasi Younes, 37, and SeyedMohsen Namazikivaj Seyedreza, 31.
All of them opted to testify under oath from the witness stand and the court set November 11 to 14 for the defence trial.
The prosecution was conducted by deputy public prosecutor Farah Aimy Zainul Anwar, while lawyer Kitson Foong represented the two Iranians.
The other two accused, Balakrishnan and Lacheme Devi were represented by lawyers A. Ashok and RSN Rayer, respectively.
The four of them were jointly charged with trafficking in methamphetamine at 57 B, Perindustrian Kecil, Taman Sri Rambai, Seberang Perai Tengah here at 10.10pm on August 20, 2015.
They were charged under Section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 and punishable under Section 39B(2) of the same law, read together with Section 34 of the same law, which provides the death sentence or life imprisonment, and if not sentenced to death, is liable to up to 15 strokes of the cane. — Bernama
