PUTRAJAYA, Nov 3 — Three men, including two Iranians, escaped the gallows today over trafficking in 20.89 kg of methamphetamine.

This was after a Court of Appeal three-member panel comprising Justices Datuk Hanipah Farikullah, Datuk Wira Ahmad Nasfy Yasin and Datuk Hashim Hamzah acquitted and discharged M. Dinesh, 28, a tow truck worker, of the drug trafficking charge.

Meanwhile, Iranians Shervin Khoshhal Sarvandani, 30, owner of a shop selling home decorations, and Mohammad Mahdi Tyhim Nazlo, 32, a clothing boutique owner, had been each sentenced to 18 years’ jail and 10 strokes of the cane after they pleaded guilty to a lesser charge for drug possession.

According to the prosecution’s case, the three men were arrested when police, acting on information about a drug processing activity, raided a fish breeding centre at Behrang Station, near Tanjung Malim, Perak.

There was a strong chemical smell coming from the direction of a container cabin where two Middle Eastern-looking men were seen cooking something and police also found several equipment and substances, believed to be used to process drugs.

In allowing Dinesh’s appeal to set aside his drug trafficking conviction and death sentence, Justice Hanipah said there was material contradiction of the evidence on whether Dinesh was with Shervin and Mohammad Mahdi in the container cabin where the drug was found.

Earlier, deputy public prosecutor Ng Siew Wee informed the court that the Attorney General’s Chambers had accepted Shervin and Mohammad Mahdi’s representations to reduce the charge from trafficking to drug possession.

Justice Hanipah then sentenced the duo to 18 years’ jail each from June 15, 2016, the date of their arrest, and they be given 10 strokes of the cane each.

All three were sentenced to death after they were found guilty by the High Court on October 4, 2019 for drug trafficking at Lot 3580, Pusat Ternakan Ikan, Jalan Behrang Ulu, Kampung Chenin, Behrang Station, Perak at 4.30am on June 15, 2016.

Lawyer Afifuddin Ahmad Hafifi represented Dinesh while lawyers Kitson Foong and Michelle Liu acted for Shervin and Mohammad Mahdi. Ng appeared for the prosecution. — Bernama