Yusoff Rawther charged with drug trafficking, faces life imprisonment

KUALA LUMPUR - Former research assistant of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Muhammed Yusoff Rawther was charged in the magistrate's court here today with trafficking 305 grammes of cannabis, in the car he was travelling in last week.

The 31-year old who was clad in a black T-shirt nodded after the charge was read out to him before magistrate S. Arunjothy.

However, no plea was recorded as the case is under the jurisdiction of the High Court.

Yusoff was accused of trafficking the drugs at a parking area in front of the Kuala Lumpur Contingent Police Headquarters (IPK) surau, here, at 10.15am on Sept 6.

He was charged under Section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which provides life imprisonment and also whipping of not less than 12 lashes, if convicted.

The prosecution was handled by deputy public prosecutor Mohd Sabri Othman while the accused was represented by lawyer Muhammad Rafique Rashid Ali.

The court did not allow bail to the accused and set Nov 12 for submission of the chemist report.

Previously, it was reported that city police chief Datuk Rusdi Mohd Isa confirmed the arrest of Yusoff upon the discovery of two fake pistols and cannabis.

The suspect was subsequently detained and remanded for six days since last Saturday.

Meanwhile, the High Court here, has set seven days in June next year for a full trial of Yusoff's sexual assault lawsuit against Anwar.

Yusoff filed the suit on July 14, 2021, claiming that Anwar had sexually assaulted him in October 2018, days before the PKR leader won the Port Dickson by-election.

He claimed to have suffered severe physical, psychological and social trauma as a result of the incident and seeking among others special, general, aggravated, and exemplary damages, as well as interest, costs, and other reliefs deemed fit by the court.

Yusoff resigned as Anwar's research assistant on June 24, 2019.