MIRI: An engineer and radio broadcaster from Brunei charged with drug possession were discharged and acquitted without their defence being called by the Sessions Court yesterday.

Judge Duncan Sikodol, in his ruling after the close of the prosecution case found that the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case against them.

Duncan said there were discrepancies in the prosecution’s testimonies, so he was in serious doubt as to whether the cannabis in question was actually found in the car driven by the first accused.

He said the prosecution left a big question mark in his mind as to the credibility of the witnesses, and was in doubt, compounded by the fact that the witnesses were unsure where the search on the car was conducted.

One of the witnesses, testified that he was the one who found the package which had been cut on three sides, whereas the chemist in his report claimed that it was he who cut open the three sides.

Furthermore, none of the prosecution witnesses, except the investigating officer, ever mentioned about the existence of a transparent plastic film on the inner part of the yellow tape.

In the case, a married couple, Hirmin Latip, 30, and Nairol Haniza Hamzah, 27, of SPG 493-55, both of Jalan Kecil Lumut, Belait, Brunei were charged with possession of cannabis (ganja), an offence under Section 6 of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, and punishable under Section 39A (2) of the same Act and read together with Section 34 of the same Act.

The section provides for life imprisonment or a jail term of not less than five years, plus not less than 10 strokes of the rotan.

The couple allegedly had in their possession 94.57 grammes of cannabis at Sungai Tujuh Immigration Post at 9.30pm last Feb 22.

About 30 family members of both the accused hugged and cried in court after the judge delivered his ruling.