SIBU, March 12 — A 32-year-old man was sentenced to 30 years in prison and 12 strokes of the cane by the High Court here today for trafficking methamphetamine in December 2023.
Justice Wong Siong Tung meted out the sentence to Wong Kieng Li after finding that the prosecution had proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt under Section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 for trafficking the drugs.
However, the court declined to impose the death penalty and ordered that the life imprisonment term begin from the date of his arrest on December 12, 2023.
“Having considered the submissions of both parties, the mitigating and aggravating factors, the quantity of drugs involved and the circumstances of the case, the court declines to impose the death penalty,” he said.
Wong was charged with trafficking 717.67g of methamphetamine in a car along Jalan Oya at 5pm on December 12, 2023.
The court heard that the accused collected a parcel containing drugs from a cargo counter at Sibu Bus Terminal and placed it in his vehicle. In his defence, Wong testified he was only helping a friend known as 'Bai Mau' retrieve a package he believed contained LED lights.
The court found that he had custody and control of the parcel, thereby triggering the statutory presumption of possession and knowledge under the act, but rejected the explanation because the accused failed to provide meaningful details about the alleged friend or to produce witnesses to support the claim.
Justice Siong Tung also pointed to inconsistencies in Wong's testimony, including providing an incorrect identity card number and a false phone number when collecting the parcel.
“These circumstances collectively render the accused’s version inherently improbable and incapable of raising any reasonable doubt against the prosecution’s case,” he said.
Earlier during mitigation, defence counsel Daren Ling said Wong, who is married with two children aged 12 and nine, was the sole breadwinner of his family before his arrest.
He said his client had cooperated with police throughout the investigation and urged the court not to impose the death penalty.
Meanwhile, Deputy Public Prosecutor Mark Kenneth Netto argued that the large quantity of drugs involved and the accused’s active role in transporting them warranted a severe sentence.
