INDONESIAN CAB DRIVER SENTENCED TO EIGHT YEARS JAIL AND 10 STROKES

SHAH ALAM (Malaysia), May 11 (Bernama) -- An Indonesian illegal immigrant
was sentenced to eight years imprisonment and 10 strokes of the rotan by the
High Court here Tuesday for possessing 889gm of cannabis five years ago.

Justice Dr Badariah Sahamid ordered the sentence on Irfan Putih, 35, from
Acheh, to run from the date of his arrest on Feb 25, 2005.

Irfan pleaded guilty to committing the offence at the main road, Taman Kota
Cheras, 9th Mile Kajang at 6.30pm on Feb 25, 2005.

He was originally charged with trafficking, which carries the mandatory
death sentence, but pleaded guilty Monday after the charge was reduced to one
of possession.

The court was told that the drug was found near the footrest on the driver's
side of the taxi which he was driving when police stopped him by the roadside
that day.

In mitigation, his counsel, Gurubachan Singh Johal, asked for a lighter
sentence of six-and-a-half to seven years because Irfan was a first offender,
was very remorseful for what he had done and his plea of guilt had saved the
court valuable time and costs.

Counsel said Irfan had suffered enough hardship since fleeing Acheh to come
to Malaysia in 2000 as he feared for his life after his father was killed by the
Indonesian army.

His wife left him and asked for a divorce when he was remanded and his two
daughters were now cared for by his 70-year-old mother in Acheh, Gurubachan
Singh said.

Deputy public prosecutor Zainal Azwar Kamaruddin, however, asked the court
to take into account the public interest and the effect of drug abuse in this
country and mete out a deterrent sentence.

Dr Badariah said the court took in account all the mitigating factors but at
the same time it must also consider the public interest and the sentence must
give a strong message to the accused and other would-be offencers.

-- BERNAMA