High Court acquits lorry driver of drug trafficking and possession charges

On May 31, 2024, a lorry driver named Muhammad Shameer Mohamed Salim was charged with trafficking methamphetamine and possessing ketamine in Kuala Lumpur. According to the prosecutor, Shameer was accused of having 245.2 grammes of methamphetamine and 20.13 grammes of ketamine.

However, the High Court acquitted Shameer of these charges today, according to Judge Datuk Azhar Abdul Hamid. The judge determined that the prosecution had failed to prove that Shameer had exclusive custody and control over the drugs. The courtroom noted that the drugs were found in a room accessible to others, which contained personal belongings of other individuals.

Shameer's lawyer, Revin Kumar, explained that the case centered on the drugs allegedly found in a room that was not exclusively under Shameer's control. In the trial, the prosecution struggled to establish a clear connection between the drugs and Shameer's exclusive custody and control. As a result, the court ruled that the prosecution had not sufficiently proven the essential element of possession, leading to Shameer's acquittal.