Malaysia’s Court of Appeal in Putrajaya on 3 January 2024 set aside the conviction and death sentence of M. Baskaran, 52, a former taxi driver, for drug trafficking and replaced it with 10 years’ jail for possession.[1] The three-member bench of Justices Hadhariah Syed Ismail, Hashim Hamzah and Azmi Ariffin acted after the prosecution agreed to reduce the charge from trafficking in 1,029.2 g of cannabis to possession.[1]
Baskaran pleaded guilty to the possession charge.[1] Justice Hadhariah spared him whipping because he was over 50 years old, and ordered the jail term to run from 15 August 2018, the date of his arrest.[1] His lawyer asked for a minimum five-year term so Baskaran could restart his life with his family, while the prosecution sought between 10 and 12 years.[1]
The High Court had sentenced Baskaran to death on 4 August 2021 for trafficking the drugs at a car park in Taipanco, in the Bandar Sultan Suleiman industrial area of Port Klang, Selangor, at 7pm on 15 August 2018.[1]