Bandar Seri Begawan - A local man was convicted after having failed to prove trial and sentenced to jail by the Bandar Magistrate's Court yesterday for consuming and possession of methylamphetamine, a Class 'A' drug.

Hj Azman bin Hj Ismail was sentenced to four years and two months' imprisonment.

He denied possession of 0.1911 nett grammes of methylamphetamine that was found in his vehicle at the time of his arrest at Maharani Restaurant in Kampong Tanah Jambu on July 4, 2011.

The defendant chose to remain silent on this charge while contending a charge of consuming the same drug.

The defendant was detained by Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) officers on the said date and officers found the crystal meth substance in the car. He was the driver of the vehicle. Another man, who was a passenger, was also arrested.

The defendant's 'urine sample was taken and tested positive for the drug.

The defendant informed the court that his urine was positive as he had inhaled secondary smoke from being in the same room with friends who were smoking the crystal meth substance.

The prosecution, conducted by DPP Hjh Atiyyah PD Hj Abas, called 12 witnesses, and one of the NCB officers handling the urine sample testified that the urine sample was secured and sent for analysis according to procedures.

The witness also testified that for a urine sample to be positive, the 'cut off value' needs to be 500 nanogrammes/millilitres.

The defendant's urine sample, according to the NCB officer and the court's findings, showed 888.118 nanogrammes/milligrammes, and was considered quite high to be a secondary smoker's value.

Senior Magistrate Haji Nabil Daraina PD Hj Badaruddin came to the conclusion that all the findings had satisfied the court beyond reasonable doubt and later convicted the defendant on the two counts.

--Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin