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Kota Kinabalu: A 36-year-old man was charged with possessing mitragynine (ketum).

Jerome Guntalib pleaded guilty before Sessions Court Judge Zaini Fishir. He was accused of having about 500ml of a substance containing mitragynine at 1.10pm on March 31 at a hut in Kg Kalansanan, Inanam.

The offence under the Poisons Act 1952 carries a fine of up to RM100,000, up to five years’ jail, or both.

The court set May 5 for mention pending the chemist’s report and allowed bail of RM2,500 with two local sureties. 

Deputy Public Prosecutor Fazriel Fardiansyah Abdul Kadir requested another mention date and offered no bail. Jerome, who was unrepresented, applied for bail.

In a separate case, four illegal immigrants were jailed for four months for entering the country illegally. 

The two Indonesians and two Filipinos were arrested in Keningau after failing to produce identification documents.

The court ordered them to serve their sentence from the date of arrest and be deported after completing their jail term.

Immigration Department Prosecuting Officer Norizan Awang Tanda appeared for the prosecution.