Kuala Lumpur: Former Malaysian ambassador to Indonesia Datuk Zainal Abidin Alias and his son were charged today with several offences including the alleged trafficking of dangerous drugs.
Their lawyer Rahmat Hazlan confirmed to Malay Mail that the duo were charged before magistrate Shahrul Ekhsan Hashim at the Magistrates’ Court in Bentong, Pahang.
Rahmat said that Zainal Abidin, who was released from a seven-day remand on May 28, had voluntarily appeared in court today and surrendered himself to be charged.
Rahmat confirmed that the 78-year-old Zainal Abidin and his 53-year-old son, Mohamed Riza, were both charged under Section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act with trafficking and Section 9(1)(b) with keeping cannabis oil.
Mohamed Riza was additionally charged under Section 15 of the same with using tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive component in marijuana or cannabis.
Rahmat confirmed that there was no plea recorded for Section 39B, while both of them pleaded not guilty to the charge under Section 9(1)(b) and the son had also pleaded not guilty to the charge under Section 15.
Section 39B is punishable by a mandatory death penalty upon conviction while Section 9(1)(b) allows for a maximum fine of RM20,000 or maximum five-year jail term or both.
Section 15(1)(a) includes the offence of consuming or self-administering any dangerous drug specified in Parts III and IV of the First Schedule of the same law, and is punishable with a maximum fine of RM5,000 or maximum two-year jail term.
As Section 39B is an unbailable offence, neither of the two was offered bail.
Rahmat said the Magistrates’ Court was also informed today that a representation letter had been sent to the Attorney General yesterday regarding both the former diplomat and his son.
Both Zainal Abidin and his son were also represented by lawyers Tania Scivetti and Kamil Azman, while the prosecution was led by Pahang prosecution director Mohammad Khalid Ab Karim.
According to Rahmat, the next mention date for this case is on June 13.
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This is a developing story
