PETALING JAYA: Actor and film director Datuk Farid Kamil Zahari will spend Hari Raya Aidilfitri behind bars after he was sentenced to nine months’ jail by the magistrate court for drug abuse last year.
Magistrate Nor Ariffin Hisham meted out the sentence when the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt.
The 38-year-old actor was supposed to enter his defence today by way of testimony under oath, but chose to remain silent instead.
The court also rejected the stay of the execution and ordered the accused to be put under the surveillance of National Anti-Drugs Agency (AADK) for two years.
Farid Kamil, who was calm during the entire proceeding, was sent to Kajang prison.
Earlier, counsel Megat Syazlee Mokhtarom who represented the accused pleaded for minimum sentence, stating that his client was a sole breadwinner to his family.
“My client is a father of two who works as a film director and actor. It will be difficult for him to support his family if the court sends him to prison.
“He also had pleaded guilty for giving false evidence involving this case,” he said.
However, deputy public prosecutor Alia Sumayyah Amran pressed for a deterrent sentence, stating that the case involved public interest.
Farid Kamil was charged with using “11-nor-delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid” or THC drugs at the narcotics office, Petaling Jaya district police headquarters at 4.30pm on Jan 11, last year.
The offence falls under Section 15(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 carries a maximum two years imprisonment or a RM5,000 fine or both upon conviction.