Aussie Man's Drug Case Transferred To High Court

KUALA LUMPUR, May 21 (Bernama) -- The case of an Australian man who faces the death penalty for allegedly trafficking in 167.8 grammes of drugs was Monday transferred to the High Court. Magistrate Erry Shahriman Nor Aripin made the order after granting the prosecution's application for the case to be transferred. Dominic Jude Bird,(rpt: Dominic Jude Bird), 32, was charged with trafficking methaphetamine at Old Town White Coffee, at Jalan Yap Kwan Seng, here on 4.15pm on March 1. He was charged under Section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 which carries the mandatory death sentence, if convicted. No plea was recorded after the charge was read out to him. Bird's counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah complained to the court that the defence counsel were not informed as to when the accused would be charged. The accused was first brought to the court on March 9. Muhammad Shafee said all four defence counsel including him were present during the remand process, but the police did not allow them to see their client which he claimed breached Article 5 of the Federal Constitution. He said the Australian High Commission was also not informed on the matters. Bird also faces a second charge of consuming methaphetamine at the Narcotics Investigaation Department's office a the Dang Wangi police station here at 12.10am the same day. For this, he was charged under Section 15(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which is punishable by up to three years imprisonment. Prosecuting Officer C/Insp Muhammad Sapri Yaakub appeared for the prosecution. -- BERNAMA