LORRY DRIVER ESCAPES GALLOWS

A 39-year-old lorry driver escaped the gallows after admitting to
being in possession of 226 grammes of cannabis at his home in Kampung
Seri Aman three years ago.

The prosecution, which had initially charged Wagiman Ahmad with
trafficking amended the charge to possession yesterday. He then
pleaded guilty to the charge.

Wagiman told the court that the drugs were for his personal consumption.

The High Court sentenced him to 10 years'jail and 10 strokes of the rotan.

Judge Datuk K.N. Segara said: "You are lucky the prosecution offered
an alternative charge of possession, as you were initially facing the gallows."

Wagiman pleaded guilty to possessing 226gm of cannabis at Lot 136-A,
Jalan Berkat 5, Kampung Sri Aman, Batu 13, Jalan Kelang. in Puchong,
at 11.30pm on Oct 29.

He had bought the drugs from an Acehnese for RM400, and kept it on a
shelf in the living room. At the time of his arrest, he was on his
way to fetch his wife from work.

Wagiman's jail term is effective from Oct 29, 2003, the date of his arrest.