| Fadley Faisal |

A 50-YEAR-OLD local man who failed to prove his innocence to a charge of possessing 24 cartons and 102 packets of smuggled cigarettes was ordered to settle a BND76,000 fine by the Magistrate’s Court yesterday.

Ambran bin Kumit who confirmed that he will not be able to pay the fine received an 18 months jail sentence beginning yesterday.

Magistrate Hajah Noor Amalina binti Dato Paduka Haji Alaihuddin found DPP Hajah Siti Mui’zzah binti Haji Sabli to have proven the case beyond the court’s reasonable doubt.

“The court finds all witnesses credible and reliable. They are consistent and corroborated one another on the fact that on April 18, 2018, (the officers) found the number of undeclared cigarette cartons inside (the vehicle) which was unlocked by the defendant with his key,” the magistrate said delivering the judgment.

The magistrate found that “the defendant failed to rebut the presumption of possession. It was proven that he was in possession of the cigarettes. Knowledge is presumed under s.146(2). Thus, he failed to prove that he did not know that he was in possession of the cigarettes found in the vehicle.”

Officers found the cigarettes in the defendant’s vehicle parked at Bengkel Jabatan Penerbangan Awam, LTAB Car Park, Berakas on April 18, 2108 at 10.48am.