Man jailed six months for drug offences

SINGAPORE: A 29—year—old man found guilty of two charges of possessing a controlled drug was sentenced to six months’ jail.

The man was sentenced to six months’ jail for each charge, with both jail terms running concurrently.

The court heard that on 18 November 2009, at a shopping mall in Orchard Road, he sold two tablets of Ecstasy to his friend for $90.

His friend was subsequently arrested and admitted to buying drugs from him.

Acting on information received, officers from the Central Narcotics Bureau arrested him at his home on 6 January 2010.

He surrendered some drugs, believed to have included Ketamine, to the officers.

In his mitigation plea, his lawyer Mr Josephus Tan said the accused had contracted the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).

On discovery of his HIV positive status in 2008, he went into a downward spiral of "despondency and self—destruction", which led him to turn to drugs.

A hospital psychiatric report affirmed that he is currently being treated for major depressive disorder with psychotic features.

The maximum penalty for possessing a controlled drug is 10 years’ jail and a fine of S$20,000.

— CNA/de