THE decision on whether nasyid singer and composer Muhammad Yasin Sulaiman will be called to enter his defence or acquitted of the drug charges facing him will be known tomorrow at the Petaling Jaya Sessions Court.

Judge Faiz Dziyauddin is scheduled to deliver the decision at the end of the prosecution case at 2pm.

If the court’s decision favours the prosecution, Muhammad Yasin, 48, will be called to enter his defence. Otherwise, the entertainer will be freed.

On September 15, the prosecution closed its case after calling seven witnesses in the trial which began on August 28.

The witnesses included chemist Dr J. Saravanan Kumar; investigating officer Muhammad Amirul Mukmin Aziz; science officer (life chemistry) at the Pathology Department of Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital, Klang, Rusli Ibrahim; plant biotechnology expert Prof Dr S. Sreeramanan; and the Intelligence, Operations and Detention Officer, Narcotics Crime Investigation Division of Petaling Jaya district police headquarters Darwis Aripin.

Deputy public prosecutors Raja Zaizul Faridah Raja Zaharudin and Ahmad Zuhaini Mahamad Amin prosecuted, while lawyer Ariff Azami Hussein represented Yasin.

The “Mimpi Laila” singer was charged with self-administration of the drug “11-nor-delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid” at the Petaling Jaya police district headquarters narcotics office at 11.05pm on March 24 last year.

The charge, framed under section 15(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 and punishable under section 15(1) of the same act, carries a fine not exceeding RM5,000 or a maximum jail term of two years if convicted.

Yasin was also charged with possessing cannabis-type drugs weighing 193.7g and cultivating 17 cannabis plants in plastic pots at his residence at Damansara Indah Resort Homes, PJU 3, Kota Damansara, Petaling Jaya, at 5.30pm on the same date.

The drug possession charge, framed under section 6 of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 and punishable under section 39A(2) of the same act, carries life imprisonment of not less than five years with no fewer than 10 strokes of the cane, if convicted.

On cannabis cultivation, the charge is framed under section 6B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 and punishable under section 6B(3) of the same act, which provides for life imprisonment and whipping of no fewer than six strokes, upon conviction. – Bernama, October 2, 2023.