KUALA TERENGGANU, Jan 1 (Bernama) -- Police have arrested a lawyer for allegedly abetting an inmate to smuggle drugs into Marang Prison.
Terengganu Police Chief Datuk Mohd Khairi Khairudin said the 32-year-old man was arrested at about 10.45 am on Dec 29 along Jalan Hiliran, Pulau Kambing, near here.
He said the suspect was believed to have abetted the smuggling of drugs into the prison on Dec 23 through a male inmate, who was also his client, after the trial at the Kuala Terengganu High Court here.
“After the trial, the inmate was taken back to Marang Prison and instructed to undergo an examination using a body scanner.
“During the examination, prison authorities detected foreign objects in the inmate’s body and sent him to the prison clinic for close monitoring,” he told a press conference at the Terengganu police contingent headquarters here today.
Mohd Khairi said the inmate was then taken to the Merchang Health Clinic in Marang for further examination before being taken back to the Marang Prison clinic for further action.
He said prison authorities recovered 123 grammes of Yaba pills, 21 grammes of cannabis and 13 grammes of Erimin 5, worth RM16,000, within two days after the inmate expelled the drugs.
According to Mohd Khairi, the drugs recovered were sufficient to supply some 800 addicts.
“Following that, prison authorities lodged a police report at the Marang District Police Headquarters, and the case is being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
“The lawyer has been remanded for six days until Jan 4 to assist in investigations under Section 107(c) of the Penal Code,” he added.
Mohd Khairi also said police were seeking public help to locate a housewife, identified as Nurul Norasikin Aladin, 30, from Kampung Batin, Seberang Takir, to facilitate the investigation of the case.
He said apart from the drugs case, the lawyer was also being investigated under Section 348 of the Penal Code in connection with a wrongful confinement and extortion case at a workshop in Paka, Dungun, on Dec 8.
Mohd Khairi said the victim, a businessman, claimed to have been wrongfully confined by a debt collector on Dec 8 and allegedly forced to hand over five cars, a motorcycle and a land grant after defaulting on an investment debt of RM353,000, before being released the following day.
He said the victim subsequently sought legal advice from the lawyer on Dec 15.
“The suspect (the lawyer) then contacted the debt collector, and after discussions, the victim was asked to pay RM9,000 to reclaim one of his cars,” he said.
Mohd Khairi said investigations were being conducted against the suspect to obtain information on the debt collector’s agent and the condition of the victim’s other vehicles.
-- BERNAMA
