Court Acquits Bitcoin Miner Of Drug Charges

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 10 (Bernama) -- The High Court here today acquitted and discharged a Bitcoin cryptocurrency miner of five charges of drug trafficking and possession, four years ago.

Judge K. Muniandy delivered the verdict, ruling that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case against 38-year-old Low Ming Yan at the end of the prosecution case.

“The court found that the prosecution could not prove the accused's ownership of the drugs, as there were two other individuals - Vietnamese women - present with him at the time, who were not called as witnesses to deny their involvement,” said the judge.

“The court also noted contradictions in the testimony provided by the prosecution’s witness. Therefore, the court acquitted and discharged the accused of all five charges.

Low was charged with distributing methamphetamine, weighing 898.41 grams, in a condominium unit in Segambut, at 12.30 am on Dec 9, 2020, and the charge was framed under Section 39B (1) (a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 and can be punished under Section 39B (2) of the same act, which carries the death penalty or life imprisonment and not less than 15 strokes of the cane, if convicted.

Low also faced four charges of drug possession, involving 45.75 grams of methamphetamine, 0.78 grams of methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and 0.93 grams of ketamine, found in a car in the parking lot of the same condominium building, at 6.30 am on the same day.

These charges were brought under Section 12(2) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.

Deputy public prosecutor Nur Aqilah Ishak appeared for the prosecution, while Low was represented by lawyer Datuk C. Vignesh Kumar.

A total of 10 prosecution witnesses testified in the trial, which began last year.

-- BERNAMA