PUTRAJAYA, Sept 23 — A debt collector escaped the gallows for trafficking in methamphetamine five years ago, but will be in jail for 16 years jail and given 20 strokes of the cane instead for drug possession.
Court of Appeal three-man bench, comprising Datuk Seri Kamaludin Md Said, Datuk Hadhariah Syed Ismail and Datuk Nordin Hassan, ordered Keow Sze Teve to serve the jail sentence concurrently with the sentence imposed on him for possession of firearms and bullets.
This means Keow, 38, who has been in jail since 2015 will be serving 16 years jail for all the offences.
The charges against Keow, 38, was reduced from drug trafficking to possession after his representation was accepted by the Attorney-General’s Chambers and this was confirmed by deputy public prosecutor K. Mangai.
Keow’s lawyer M.Athimulan also informed the court that his client was withdrawing his appeal against his conviction and the 16 years jail sentence and 12 strokes of the cane for four charges relating to possession of firearms and bullets.
On October 8, 2018, the High Court convicted and sentenced Keow to death on two charges of trafficking in 512.2 grammes and 474 grammes of Methamphetamine, respectively, at Jalan Impian Ria, Taman Impian Ria, Machang Bubok, Seberang Prai Tengah, Penang on June 19, 2015.
Keow was also sentenced to eight years jail and six strokes of the cane each by the High Court for two charges of possessing a Cougar 80000 FT pistol and Pietro Beretta Gardone VT pistol and five years jail each for two charges of possessing bullets.
The High Court had ordered the sentences for the pistol and bullet possession to run concurrently which means Keow would have to serve a total of 16 years jail and to be given 12 strokes of the cane. — Bernama
