Malaysian rapper Namewee acquitted in drug case
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Namewee is still facing a charge over possession of the drug Ecstasy, which will be heard in court on Jan 19.
ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI
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Malaysian rapper Namewee, whose real name is Wee Meng Chee, was on Dec 22 acquitted over the charge of administering drugs into his body.
He was charged on Oct 24 with self-administration of several other drugs, including amphetamine and methamphetamine, following an arrest two days earlier in a hotel room in Kuala Lumpur.
State news agency Bernama reported that pathology results were negative and the prosecution had withdrawn the charge, citing Deputy Public Prosecutor Amritpreet Kaur Randhawa.
“The court acquits and discharges the accused from the charge and the bail money is returned,” Magistrate S. Arunjothy was reported as saying. The bail money amounted to RM2,000 (S$630).
In October, Wee was also charged with possession of Ecstasy. The courts have fixed Jan 19 for mention.
The charge carries imprisonment of between two and five years and between three and nine strokes of the cane, if convicted.
His arrest in October came after Taiwanese influencer Hsieh Yu-hsin, also known as Iris Hsieh, was found dead in a hotel bathtub on Oct 22.
Wee posted a statement on Instagram on Nov 2 denying taking drugs or having any involvement in the death of Ms Hsieh.
According to a November report in Malaysian newspaper Sin Chew Daily, Wee and Ms Hsieh had been working on a video together and were discussing matters in the hotel room.
Ms Hsieh then went to the bathroom to take a shower alone, but allegedly did not come out after half an hour, prompting Namewee to check on her.
It was reported that he found her body after she did not come out of the bathroom, and that he called the police. Her body was found in a bathtub without any water in the tub or on the floor.
