PUTRAJAYA, April 28 — The Court of Appeal has overturned the High Court’s decision that convicted and sentenced singer and composer Muhammad Yasin Sulaiman to life imprisonment over three drug-related offences.
A three-member panel comprising Justices Datuk Che Mohd Ruzima Ghazali, Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah, and Datuk Azmi Ariffin allowed his appeal and reinstated the Sessions Court’s earlier decision.
In 2023, the Petaling Jaya Sessions Court acquitted and discharged the 49-year-old Mimpi Laila singer of all the charges and ordered that he be placed at Hospital Bahagia Ulu Kinta in Perak, at the pleasure of the Sultan of Selangor.
Delivering the unanimous decision, Justice Ruzima said Yasin’s claim of suffering from bipolar disorder is not merely a bare assertion.
He said that from his medical history, four hospitals have confirmed that the accused is suffering from bipolar disorder, which was detected between 2007 and 2013.
Justice Ruzima added that this indicated Yasin had experienced a relapse of his medical condition and had been receiving treatment.
“We find that although the appellant (Yasin) committed the offences as charged, he cannot be convicted due to his mental incapacity at the time of the incident,” he said.
Justice Ruzima said the Sessions Court judge had not erred in addressing the issue of legal insanity based on the testimony of Hospital Bahagia Ulu Kinta forensic psychiatry consultant Dr Ian Lloyd Anthony.
“We find that the High Court misdirected itself in overturning the trial judge’s findings, which were based on the evidence presented,” he said.
The judge also ruled that Dr Ian’s testimony as well as his medical report on the accused's bipolar disorder condition are not hearsay.
In 2023, Sessions Court judge Faiz Dziyauddin acquitted and discharged Yasin of all the charges because he was in an unsound mental state at the time of the incident, even though he was aware of his actions.
However, the Shah Alam High Court later allowed the prosecution’s appeal. It convicted the accused on three charges — cultivating 17 cannabis plants, possession of 193.7g of cannabis, and self-administration of dangerous drugs.
He was sentenced to life imprisonment with six strokes of the cane for cultivating the plants, eight years’ jail and 10 strokes for drug possession, and a 10-month jail term for the self-administration of a dangerous drug.
In today’s proceeding, lawyers Datuk Hisyam Teh Poh Teik, Kee Wei Lon, Low Wei Loke, and Ee Gen You represented Yasin, while Deputy Public Prosecutor Sarulatha Paramavathar appeared for the prosecution.
Outside the court, the accused's elder brother Zain Sulaiman said it was a meaningful day for the singer, who had spent about three years behind bars.
— Bernama
