The Seremban High Court has freed South Korean student, Kim Yun Soung, 20, of drug trafficking after the main witness of the case admitted to lying during cross-examination.
The High Court yesterday freed a South Korean student of a drug trafficking charge on the fourth day trial of the case.
Judge Abu Bakar Jais acquitted and discharged Kim Yun Soung of the charge following an application by the prosecution, conducted by deputy public prosecutor Rahimah Abd Majid, and arguments by both parties.
Rahimah had applied for Kim, 20, to be discharged, but not amounting to an acquittal, as there were no strong grounds to set aside the prosecution.
However, lawyer, Gobind Singh Deo, representing Kim, requested the court to drop the case because of false testimony by a witness.
Kim, a private college student in Nilai, was charged with trafficking in 219gm of cannabis at his residence in Nilai at 12.30am on Oct 19 last year.
He was charged under Section 39B (1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which carries the mandatory death sentence upon conviction.
Kim’s grandparents, who were in the court, cried uncontrollably after Abu Bakar ordered the release of their grandson.
Kim’s grandmother, Youn Young Ae, 67, said she was happy and relieved and that they would return to South Korea last night.
Youn, who resides in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, since 2005, said they would be in their home country for two weeks before her grandson would return to Nilai to continue his studies.
Meanwhile, Rahimah said following the false testimony given by the witness, the prosecution would conduct an investigation by recording the statement of all parties, including the court interpreter.
She said the case would be investigated under Section 194 of the Penal Code for giving a false statement in court while under oath, of which if convicted carries a jail sentence of 20 years.