By Dorcas Ting
KUCHING, June 30: A 45-year-old local man has been sentenced to 45 days in prison by the Sessions Court here today after pleading guilty to illegally possessing 220 turtle eggs in an incident that occurred nearly two years ago.
Fauzi Hasan admitted to the offence before Judge Saiful Bahari Adzmi after the charge was read to him in court.
According to the charge, he was found with the turtle eggs in front of a well-known fast-food restaurant in Matang around noon on September 30, 2023.
The offence falls under Section 37(1) of the Wildlife Protection Ordinance 1998, punishable under Section 37(2)(a) and read together with Section 29(1)(c) of the same Ordinance. Upon conviction, the offence carries a maximum penalty of two years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to RM25,000.
On the day of the incident, officers from the Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) conducted an operation in the area. They detained the accused after discovering the protected wildlife product in his possession.
The 220 turtle eggs were found wrapped in plastic bags. Fauzi failed to produce any written authorisation or provide a valid reason for possessing the eggs, which were later confirmed to be from the Chelonidae family, a protected species listed under Part 1 of the First Schedule of the Ordinance.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Roland Felix Hardin led the prosecution, while lawyer Simon Siah represented the accused. — DayakDaily
