Actor Benjy, friends acquitted of drug charges

Actor Khaeryll Benjamin Ibrahim or Benjy and his four friends were on Friday discharged and acquitted of a drug possession charge in June by the Ampang Magistrates Court.

Magistrate Ayuni Izzaty Sulaiman released Benjy, 34, Imran Radzi, 32, husband and wife Asmanizam Mohamed Akhir, 32, and Norazila Arzami, 27, and Afifi Hamidi, 27, after the charges were retracted by the prosecution.

The case mention was fixed for today but deputy public prosecutor Goh Ai Rene told the court that the chief prosecutor had decided to retract the charges on the basis that another friend of the five, Zain Amir Zainal Khairi, who faced the same charge, had pleaded guilty and was fined RM4,000.

Goh applied for a discharge not amounting to acquittal but the lawyer representing all the accused, Amer Hamzah Arshad, applied for an acquittal as well on the grounds that they were considered not guilty.

The court decided to allow Amer Hamzah's application.

The five individuals were jointly charged on Sept 11 of possessing a bag containing 2.99 grammes of methamphetamine at the Oakleaf Park Condo, Taman Bukit Jaya, Hulu Kelang on June 26, under Section 12(2) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.