A 36-year-old factory worker escaped death when the High Court here yesterday acquitted him of a charge of trafficking in 6.782kg of methamphetamine 3 years ago.

Judge Datuk Zakiah Kassim ruled that the prosecution had failed to prove a prima facie case against Ahmad Fauzi Ismail.

The father of 4, who was clad in a red shirt, beamed with joy as he stepped out of the courtroom after being freed.

"I am grateful for being spared from the death penalty," he said before leaving the court, accompanied by his lawyer, Datuk Naran Singh.

Zakiah said the prosecution had failed to prove that the car driven by Fauzi where the drug was found belonged to him.

Fauzi was jointly charged with his wife, Faizah Hamzah, 40, with committing the offence in front of the Kubang Pasu district police headquarters at 9.30am on Aug 5, 2011.

However, Faizah was found not guilty at the end of the prosecution on Oct 20 last year, while her husband was ordered to enter his defence.

Deputy public prosecutor Siti Aisyah Abdul Rashid prosecuted.

Source: New Straits Times, Feb. 25, 2014