Criminal Evidence Went Missing?

60000 Pills Missing

Friday April 8, 2005; The Star

How could it happen? Anyway, it did happened.

At the High Court, the Prosecution was tendering evidence of more than 60,000 psychotropic pills, but as chemist Zurina Ramli began unwrapping the boxes before Judge Datuk Muhamad Ideres Muhammad Rapee, their plans awry.

The first box was empty! They quickly opened up the other two more boxes. Again, they found nothing inside. The prosecution team was left white-eyed and corked-mouthed when all three boxes proved nothing inside except the aluminium foil that was used to contain the Nimetazepam pills and powdered samples.

The vital evidence in the drug trafficking case had gone missing right under the nose of the police.

Zurina told the court the Chemistry Department’s wax seals on the boxes had been tampered with. The boxes are believed to have been stored in the police evidence room at the district police headquarters.

DPP Datin Nik Sarina Lugman Hashim told the court the investigation officer for the case had been summoned and would be present in court tomorrow to offer an explanation.

In the case, 61-year-old Tua Bit faces two charges of trafficking the Nimetazepam pills in 2002. The first charge involves 10,000 pills at a unit in Baiduri Condominium, Bandar Tasik Kesuma, Beranang on Nov 25 and the second involves 51,750 pills at a house in Taman Puteri, Cheras, on the same day.

Both charges fall under Section 39(b) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which carries the mandatory death sentence if convicted.