Driver in fatal Klang crash changes plea to not guilty for drug abuse

Driver in fatal Klang crash changes plea to not guilty for drug abuse

PETALING JAYA: A laboratory assistant previously charged with killing a motorcyclist in a road crash changed his plea to not guilty to a drug-related charge in the Klang magistrates’ court today.

R Saktygaanapathy, 28, changed his plea after the amended charge was read out to him before magistrate Nor Azilah Mat, Bernama reported.

According to the amended charge, he self-administered tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) at the office of the Klang Selatan police headquarters’ narcotics criminal investigation division at 3.30pm on March 29.

Saktygaanapathy had previously pleaded guilty on April 1 to self-administering benzodiazepines and THC at the same time and location.

The charge under Section 15(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 provides for a maximum fine of RM5,000 or imprisonment of up to two years, as well as supervision for no more than three years, if convicted.

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Saktygaanapathy’s lawyer, Aravind Raj, said his client did not understand the implications of his previous guilty plea because he was unrepresented when he was brought to court two months ago.

Nor Azilah set July 22 for case mention to obtain the chemical report.

The prosecution was conducted by deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Sulfie Abu Hassan.

Meanwhile, magistrate A Karthiyayini also set July 22 for the mention of a murder case involving Saktygaanapathy, to allow the prosecution to complete the post-mortem report.

Saktygaanapathy was charged with the murder of delivery rider Amirul Hafiz Omar, 33, on Jalan Raya Barat in Klang at 11.47am on March 29, while allegedly driving under the influence of drugs.

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The charge was framed under Section 302 of the Penal Code, which carries the death penalty or 30 to 40 years’ imprisonment and a minimum of 12 strokes of the rotan, upon conviction.

Saktygaanapathy did not enter his plea as murder cases fall under the jurisdiction of the High Court.

Faizi Che Abu, the lawyer representing the victim’s family, said they would file a claim for compensation exceeding RM1 million against Saktygaanapathy for Amirul Hafiz’s death, no later than next month.

He said they were completing the related documents, including assessing the victim’s actual income, to determine the appropriate amount for the claim.