Public Prosecutor v Ramendra Krishnan: Trafficking and Possession of Cannabis under the Misuse of Drugs Act
In Public Prosecutor v Ramendra Krishnan, the High Court of Singapore found Ramendra Krishnan guilty on three charges under the Misuse of Drugs Act. The charges included trafficking in four blocks of cannabis, trafficking in a portion of one block of cannabis, and possession of a portion of one block of cannabis. The court's decision was based on Ramendra's own admissions and the evidence presented.
1. Case Overview
1.1 Court
General Division of the High Court1.2 Outcome
Ramendra Krishnan found guilty of all three charges.
1.3 Case Type
Criminal
1.4 Judgment Type
Judgment
1.5 Jurisdiction
Singapore
1.6 Description
Ramendra Krishnan was convicted of trafficking and possession of cannabis. The High Court found him guilty under the Misuse of Drugs Act.
1.7 Decision Date
2. Parties and Outcomes
| Party Name | Role | Type | Outcome | Outcome Type | Counsels |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Prosecutor | Prosecution | Government Agency | Successful Prosecution | Won | Benedict Chan Wei Qi of Attorney-General’s Chambers Mark Jayaratnam of Attorney-General’s Chambers |
| Ramendra Krishnan | Defendant | Individual | Guilty | Lost |
3. Judges
| Judge Name | Title | Delivered Judgment |
|---|---|---|
| Ang Cheng Hock | Judge of the High Court | Yes |
4. Counsels
| Counsel Name | Organization |
|---|---|
| Benedict Chan Wei Qi | Attorney-General’s Chambers |
| Mark Jayaratnam | Attorney-General’s Chambers |
| Subir Singh Grewal | Aequitas Law LLP |
| Peter Keith Fernando | Leo Fernando LLC |
| Kavita Pandey | Leo Fernando LLC |
4. Facts
- Ramendra Krishnan was arrested on 28 March 2017.
- Ramendra was found with five blocks of cannabis in a taxi.
- The cannabis weighed not less than 3,105g.
- Ramendra admitted he knew the blocks contained cannabis.
- Ramendra intended to deliver four blocks to someone at Jalan Kayu.
- Ramendra intended to sell 80% of one block to his friends.
- Ramendra intended to consume 20% of one block himself.
5. Formal Citations
- Public Prosecutor v Ramendra Krishnan, Criminal Case No 22 of 2021, [2021] SGHC 242
6. Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Arrest made | |
| Accused had cannabis in his possession inside a taxi | |
| Trial began | |
| Trial concluded | |
| Hearing regarding amendment of charge | |
| Further hearing | |
| Judgment reserved |
7. Legal Issues
- Possession of a Controlled Drug
- Outcome: The court found that Ramendra Krishnan was in knowing possession of cannabis.
- Category: Substantive
- Related Cases:
- [2019] 2 SLR 254
- Trafficking of a Controlled Drug
- Outcome: The court found that Ramendra Krishnan possessed cannabis for the purpose of trafficking.
- Category: Substantive
- Related Cases:
- [2014] 3 SLR 721
- Amendment of Charges
- Outcome: The court allowed the prosecution's application to amend the charges.
- Category: Procedural
- Related Cases:
- [2021] 3 SLR 641
- [2021] 4 SLR 401
8. Remedies Sought
- Conviction
- Sentencing
9. Cause of Actions
- Trafficking in a controlled drug
- Possession of a controlled drug
10. Practice Areas
- Criminal Litigation
- Drug Trafficking
11. Industries
- No industries specified
12. Cited Cases
| Case Name | Court | Affirmed | Citation | Jurisdiction | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Prosecutor v Soh Chee Wen and another | High Court | Yes | [2021] 3 SLR 641 | Singapore | Cited regarding the key consideration of prejudice to the accused in an application to amend charges under s 128(1) of the Criminal Procedure Code. |
| Goh Chin Soon v Public Prosecutor | High Court | Yes | [2021] 4 SLR 401 | Singapore | Cited regarding prejudice arising from the accused person’s lack of a sufficient opportunity to meet and to rebut the amended charges against him. |
| Muhammad Ridzuan bin Md Ali v Public Prosecutor and other matters | High Court | Yes | [2014] 3 SLR 721 | Singapore | Cited for the elements necessary to make out a charge under s 5(1)(a) of the Misuse of Drugs Act. |
| Adili Chibuike Ejike v Public Prosecutor | High Court | Yes | [2019] 2 SLR 254 | Singapore | Cited for the elements necessary to make out a charge under s 8(a) of the Misuse of Drugs Act. |
13. Applicable Rules
| Rule Name |
|---|
| No applicable rules |
14. Applicable Statutes
| Statute Name | Jurisdiction |
|---|---|
| Misuse of Drugs Act (Cap 185, 2008 Rev Ed) s 5(1)(a) | Singapore |
| Misuse of Drugs Act (Cap 185, 2008 Rev Ed) s 5(2) | Singapore |
| Misuse of Drugs Act (Cap 185, 2008 Rev Ed) s 8(a) | Singapore |
| Misuse of Drugs Act (Cap 185, 2008 Rev Ed) s 33(1) | Singapore |
| Criminal Procedure Code s 128(1) | Singapore |
| Misuse of Drugs Act s 33B(1)(a) | Singapore |
| Misuse of Drugs Act s 33B(2) | Singapore |
15. Key Terms and Keywords
15.1 Key Terms
- Cannabis
- Trafficking
- Possession
- Misuse of Drugs Act
- Courier
- Books
- Blocks
15.2 Keywords
- Cannabis
- Drug Trafficking
- Singapore
- Misuse of Drugs Act
- Criminal Law
17. Areas of Law
| Area Name | Relevance Score |
|---|---|
| Misuse of Drugs Act | 100 |
| Criminal Law | 90 |
| Offences | 80 |
| Criminal Procedure | 70 |
| Sentencing | 60 |
16. Subjects
- Criminal Law
- Drug Offences