The appeals court also reduced the drug trafficking charge brought against the four Indian nationals to just possession and sentenced them to 20 years’ imprisonment and 10 strokes of the rotan each.

Justice Ahmad Kamal Shahid, reading the broad grounds, said there was no connection between T Arujunan and the house where the four men were found.

The judge also said no traces of the drug were found on Arujunan, nor were any of his personal belongings found in the house.

The four Indian nationals – R Manikamdan, 35; S Satish Kumar, 39; S Sivabalan, 44; and G Nareshkumar, 32 – also admitted to not knowing Arujunan.

Therefore, the common intention between them and Arujunan was not proven, thus leading to Arujunan’s acquittal, Kamal said.

The trial judge’s finding that the four men had trafficked in drugs was also overturned. However, the evidence of possession led to their conviction on the reduced charge.

Two years ago, the High Court sentenced all five men to 30 years’ jail and 12 strokes of the rotan for processing the drugs at a house in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, with the intention of trafficking them.

The facts of the case revealed that a police raiding party arrested Arujunan outside the house on Nov 27, 2018.

As Arujunan had a key to the premises, he then led police into the house where the four men were found in two separate rooms.

Lawyers N Sivananthan and Nabila Habib represented Arujunan, while counsel Jay Moy, J Jayarubbiny, and Puteri Batrisyia Abdul Latif appeared for the four Indian nationals.