KAPIT, June 23: The Sessions Court here yesterday sentenced nine Indonesians to three months’ jail and RM500 each in default of two weeks’ imprisonment for possessing gaharu wood without a licence. .
The nine accused were Ujang Salaiman, 38, Paulus Unta, 39, Senin Unan, 24, Johnny Lidi, 31, Agus Malik, 38, Suhaili Duri, 39, Layong Embas, 31, Jawang Abu, 20, and Akob Abu,22.
Judge Marutin Pagan ordered them to serve the sentence from the date of their arrest on April 23 this year.
According to the charge sheet, a team of eight officers from Sarawak Forestry Corporation together with five marine policemen had at about 5pm on April 23 inspected a logging area in Sungai Melatai, Kapit.
During the inspection, they encountered the nine accused who were found in possession of 22.09kg of gaharu wood (Aquilaria Becariana) without a licence.
Gaharu is a protected species under the Wild Life Protection Ordinance 1998.
The nine accused had thus committed an offence under Section 30 (2) of the Ordinance.
Four of the nine accused meanwhile received another sentence for having in their possession body parts of protected wild animals.
Suhaili and Akob Abu were sentenced to three months behind bar and fined RM500 each for possessing 1,080 pieces of pangolin scales.
They were charged under Section 29(2) of the Wildlife Protection Ordinance 1998.
Two others, Jawang and Layong received a heavier penalty under Section 37(1) of the same Ordinance.
They pleaded guilty to having in their possession a beak and two wings belonging to helmeted hornbills, and four rhinoceros hornbill wings.
The duo were sentenced to three months’ jail and fined RM500 for each part of the animal. — DayakDaily
