Public Prosecutor v Rosman bin Abdullah: Trafficking Diamorphine & Misuse of Drugs Act
In Public Prosecutor v Rosman bin Abdullah, the High Court of Singapore convicted Rosman bin Abdullah on 14 September 2010 for trafficking in diamorphine, violating the Misuse of Drugs Act. Rosman was found in possession of not less than 57.43 grams of diamorphine at the Strand Hotel. The court found Rosman's statements to CNB officers admitting the drugs were for sale to be reliable and rejected his defense that he believed he was only carrying Erimin. Rosman was sentenced to the mandatory death penalty.
1. Case Overview
1.1 Court
High Court1.2 Outcome
Convicted and sentenced to death.
1.3 Case Type
Criminal
1.4 Judgment Type
Grounds of Decision
1.5 Jurisdiction
Singapore
1.6 Description
Rosman bin Abdullah was convicted of trafficking diamorphine under the Misuse of Drugs Act and sentenced to death. The court found his statements reliable.
1.7 Decision Date
2. Parties and Outcomes
| Party Name | Role | Type | Outcome | Outcome Type | Counsels |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Prosecutor | Prosecution | Government Agency | Judgment for Prosecution | Won | Toh Shin Hao of Attorney-General’s Chambers Geraldine Kang of Attorney-General’s Chambers Crystal Ong of Attorney-General’s Chambers |
| Rosman bin Abdullah | Defendant | Individual | Convicted | Lost |
3. Judges
| Judge Name | Title | Delivered Judgment |
|---|---|---|
| Tay Yong Kwang | Judge | Yes |
4. Counsels
| Counsel Name | Organization |
|---|---|
| Toh Shin Hao | Attorney-General’s Chambers |
| Geraldine Kang | Attorney-General’s Chambers |
| Crystal Ong | Attorney-General’s Chambers |
| Ram Goswami | K Ravi Law Corporation |
| Joseph Tan | DSCT Law Corporation |
4. Facts
- Accused was found in possession of five packets containing not less than 57.43 grams of diamorphine.
- CNB officers raided Room 201 at Strand Hotel and found the accused with Aneeza.
- Accused told CNB officers that there were more drugs in the room safe and provided the combination.
- Aneeza testified that she and the accused consumed "Ice" in the hotel room.
- Accused admitted ownership of the red Nescafe bag and the four bundles inside the safe.
- Accused stated the heroin was "for me to sell."
- Accused's urine samples were positive for methamphetamine but not for morphine.
5. Formal Citations
- Public Prosecutor v Rosman bin Abdullah, Criminal Case No 19 of 2010, [2010] SGHC 271
6. Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Accused was born | |
| Accused trafficked controlled drug at Strand Hotel | |
| CNB officers conducted operation at Strand Hotel | |
| Accused and Aneeza were arrested | |
| Aneeza was released from prison | |
| Judgment issued |
7. Legal Issues
- Trafficking of Controlled Drugs
- Outcome: The court found the accused guilty of trafficking diamorphine.
- Category: Substantive
- Admissibility of Statements
- Outcome: The court ruled that the statements made by the accused were admissible as evidence.
- Category: Procedural
- Presumption of Knowledge
- Outcome: The court found that the accused was unable to rebut the presumption of knowledge of the nature of the drug.
- Category: Substantive
8. Remedies Sought
- Conviction
- Mandatory death sentence
9. Cause of Actions
- Trafficking in a controlled drug
10. Practice Areas
- Criminal Litigation
11. Industries
- No industries specified
12. Cited Cases
| Case Name | Court | Affirmed | Citation | Jurisdiction | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No cited cases | |||||
13. Applicable Rules
| Rule Name |
|---|
| No applicable rules |
14. Applicable Statutes
| Statute Name | Jurisdiction |
|---|---|
| Misuse of Drugs Act, Chapter 185 | Singapore |
| Misuse of Drugs Act, Chapter 185, section 5(1)(a) read with section 5(2) | Singapore |
| Misuse of Drugs Act, Chapter 185, section 33 | Singapore |
| Criminal Procedure Code (Cap 68), section 122(6) | Singapore |
| Misuse of Drugs Act, section 18(2) | Singapore |
| Misuse of Drugs Act, section 17(c) | Singapore |
15. Key Terms and Keywords
15.1 Key Terms
- Diamorphine
- Trafficking
- Misuse of Drugs Act
- CNB
- Strand Hotel
- Ubat
- Erimin
- Nescafe bag
- Section 122(6) CPC statement
15.2 Keywords
- Drug trafficking
- Diamorphine
- Misuse of Drugs Act
- Singapore
- Criminal law
17. Areas of Law
| Area Name | Relevance Score |
|---|---|
| Misuse of Drugs Act | 95 |
| Criminal Law | 80 |
| Criminal Procedure | 60 |
| Evidence Law | 50 |
16. Subjects
- Criminal Law
- Drug Offenses