Drug charge: Mat Sabu’s son to enter defence
KUALA LUMPUR: The Kuala Lumpur Magistrate’s Court today ordered Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu’s son, Ahmad Saiful Islam, to enter his defence over a drug charge.
The ruling was made by Magistrate Mohamad Aizat Abdul Rahim.
Aizat said the prosecution succeeded in proving a prima facie case against Saiful, who was alleged to have taken the dangerous drug THC last year.
He added the testimony from the six prosecution witnesses in the course of the trial showed there had been no break in the chain of evidence, from the time that the accused was arrested.
“From the testimony of the prosecution witnesses, the court found that there was no break in the chain of evidence presented by the prosecution, (the evidence) has never been mishandled,” the magistrate said.
“Therefore, after having gone through the prosecution witnesses’ testimony and the evidence tendered, the court found that the prosecution has succeeded in proving a prima facie case.
“The accused is ordered to enter his defence.
“You have three choices (in how to conduct defence). Either remain silent, give an unsworn statement outside the witness stand, or give a sworn statement from the witness stand,” Aizat said as the accused looked on from the dock.
Saiful and his counsel Nasar Khan were then seen conferring with each other, before the lawyer turned to the magistrate and informed that the accused opted to give a sworn statement from the witness stand.
The court then set Feb 13 for the first day of Saiful defence stage of his trial.
By Irman Hashim
