By Dorcas Ting
KUCHING, July 16: The Sessions Court today sentenced five Indonesians to an imprisonment of four months and two strokes of the cane each for illegally entering Sarawak during Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) period.
The five Indonesians, aged between 19 and 53 years, were found entering Malaysia without a valid pass at Kampung Pasir Tengah on June 12, 2020, at about 12.40 am.
They pleaded guilty to the charge framed under Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1953/63, which carries a fine not exceeding RM10,000 or to imprisonment not exceeding five years and liable to whipping of not more than six strokes.
In passing sentence on the five Indonesians, Sessions Court judge Afidah Abdul Rahman ordered them to refer to the Immigration Department after serving their sentence here.
The court heard that they entered Sarawak through a “jalan tikus” (illegal route) in Biawak illegally by foot. They were found in a car while they were on their way to Kuching by the Sarawak Brigade Intelligence Unit during Ops Benting Covid.
The driver was charged in the Kuching High Court under Section 26 of The Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007.
Prosecuting officer Inspector Eric Tan prosecuted while the first three accused were represented by counsel Lim Lian Kee.-DayakDaily
