Aug 17, 2010
Drug trafficker's appeal failed
<!-- by line --> By Selina Lum
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A 44-YEAR-OLD man sentenced to death for drug trafficking has failed in his appeal. Lawyers for Tan Chin Hock brought up a recent decision involving urine-testing for drug consumption and sought to compare it to testing for drugs. In the earlier case, Lim Boon Keong, 27, was acquitted as High Court judge that urine tests had been conducted by a laboratory officer and not an analyst as required by law.
Tan's lawyer, Mr James Masih, argued that if urine testing is so strict, then the testing of heroin, especially in a capital case, must be stricter. But the argument was rejected by a three-judge Court of Apepal, who said Lim's case is not relevant because there are no legal requirements for drug analysis. During the hearing, the High Court's decision in Lim's case was also questioned by the appeal judges.
