A Malaysian court has acquitted Australian man Dominic Bird of drug-trafficking charges. Source: AAP
PERTH man Dominic Bird has walked free after a court in Malaysia acquitted him of drug-trafficking charges that carry a mandatory death penalty.
The 34-year-old, originally from the southern Perth suburb of Success, was over the moon following the Wednesday verdict.
"I couldn't be more ecstatic that I'm out of the handcuffs and back to my normal life," he said.
"I can't wait to get back home to Australia and see my family, and see my friends and spend some time with them."
He said he had spoken to his sister in Australia by phone: "All she could say was 'oh my God, oh my God, oh my God'. I think she was crying."
He said he had not spoken to his father yet because his phone was switched off.
Asked what he would do on Wednesday night, Mr Bird replied, "I'll probably eat some junk food and have a drink.
"I've still got to get my arse out of the country."
However, Mr Bird's freedom was short-lived. He was taken into custody by the immigration department because his visa had expired.
Officials said it was merely a technicality and the issue of his visa and passport would be sorted out within the next few days. He would then be free to return to Australia.
In delivering the ruling, Kuala Lumpur High Court's Justice Kamardin Hashim found the prosecution failed to prove its case and the defence raised reasonable doubt.
Mr Bird's lawyer, Muhammed Shafee Abdullah, earlier told the court his client should be acquitted because he was the victim of a "deep-seeded vendetta" on the part of the undercover police officer who had arrested him.
Mr Bird was taken into custody in Kuala Lumpur on March 1 last year, accused of supplying an undercover policeman with 167 grams of methamphetamine.
Inspector Luther Nurjib, the prosecution's star witness, was last week found guilty of contempt of court, for which he was fined RM2000 ($A665), after it emerged he had threatened and attempted to bribe a witness in the case.
Mr Shafee told the court Mr Bird had been "set up" by Insp Nurjib, repeating allegations made earlier in the trial that the detective had a history of shaking down drug dealers to finance a lavish lifestyle.
It has also been alleged Insp Nurjib supplied a smaller five gram sample of methamphetamine, which the police officer claims he obtained from Mr Bird, to another dealer.
It's alleged the police officer had also borrowed so-called "flash money" to purchase the sample of drugs.
"He is a drug trafficker through and through," Mr Shafee said of Insp Nurjib.
"He is a common criminal dressed in a police uniform," he said, adding that Insp Nurjib's entire testimony should be disregarded as his credibility had been destroyed.
Insp Nurjib has since been moved from the narcotics division of the Dang Wangi district police headquarters, and could face further charges.
The prosecution has not decided whether it will appeal the verdict.
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