PUBLIC PROSECUTOR v Iswan Bin Ali

Case Significance

Public Prosecutor v Iswan bin Ali [2024] SGHC 239 was a judgment of Dedar Singh Gill J in the General Division of the High Court of Singapore, with judgment reserved and delivered on 17 September 2024, in Criminal Case No 4 of 2024, following hearings across 23-25 and 29-31 January, 6 and 8 February, and 8 April 2024. The accused, Iswan bin Ali, a 48-year-old male Singaporean citizen, claimed trial to one charge of having in his possession for the purpose of trafficking not less than 61.19 grams of diamorphine, under s 5(1)(a) read with s 5(2) of the Misuse of Drugs Act (Cap 185, 2008 Rev Ed). The catchwords classify the matter as a statutory offence under the Misuse of Drugs Act.

On 9 April 2020 at about 12.45am, officers from the Central Narcotics Bureau conducted a raid on Iswan's home at Block 90 Pipit Road, where Station Inspector Tay Keng Chye Sunny, Staff Sergeant Nor Saharil bin Sulaimai and Sergeant (3) Syazwan bin Daud Mohamed arrested him in the unit; at about 12.53am, Iswan informed Sergeant (3) Syazwan, in Malay, that there were drugs kept in his car bearing plate number SJL6639L. The statutes engaged included the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Criminal Procedure Code. The prosecution was conducted by the Attorney-General's Chambers, including Hon Yi, Ariel Tan Hui Ru and Yeo Zhen Xiong, while the accused was represented by Elengovan Chambers and Matthew Chiong Partnership, including Elengovan s/o V Krishnan and Wong Hong Weng Stephen.