Man convicted of lecturer's murder faces drug charge

2009/12/01

SHAH ALAM, Tues: A forklift driver who was sentenced to hang for murdering Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) lecturer Bakarudin Busu seven years ago, was given a discharge not amounting to an acquittal by the Sessions Court here today on a charge of possessing heroin. Judge Hasbi Hasan gave Noorman Ab Wahab, 31, the discharge after allowing the prosecution's application to transfer the case to the Magistrate's Court.

Noorman is charged with possessing 10 packets containing 10.86gm of powder suspected to be heroin at Ward 4B, Sungai Buloh Hospital, about 9.55am on Oct 16.

The offence carries a minimum five years and a maximum 20 years jail and at least 10 strokes of the rotan on conviction.

Deputy public prosecutor Suzana Abdul Latiff appeared for the prosecution while Noorman, who appeared in court in the Kajang prison attire and was escorted by two guards, was represented by Suzana Nurlihan Alias.

Noorman and his close friend, Sulkarnain Alias, 32, a sales executive, were sentenced to death by the High Court on Nov 13 for the murder of Bakarudin, 35, whose body was found in a drain in Jalan SS19/6, Subang Jaya, on Feb 12, 2002.

Another man, Azizul Azual Mohamad Jailani, 25, was also convicted but the court has fixed Dec 11 for his probation report before passing sentence as the offence was committed when Azizul was 18. -- BERNAMA