KOTA KINABALU: The Sessions Court here yesterday fined a woman RM6,000, in default, five months’ jail while another three men were jailed for four months for entering the State without valid travel document.
All of the accused persons aged between 19 and 42, who were brought before judge Azreena Aziz, pleaded guilty to a separate charge under Section 6 (1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63.
The indictment carries a maximum fine of RM10,000 or a jail term of up to five years, or both, and whipping upon conviction.
All of the accused were arrested for entering Sabah illegally during separate operations at the city here and Penampang between July 14 and 15.
The court also ordered two of the accused to be whipped once while the others were spared due to their gender and age. All of the accused were also ordered to be referred to the Immigration Department after serving their sentences.
In mitigation, some of the accused told the court that they had stayed in Sabah between two months and one year and worked either as a contract worker or a labourer.
Counsel PJ Perira represented one of the accused (the woman), while prosecuting officer ASP Sabrina Jinius appeared for the prosecution.
In a separate case, the Magistrate’s Court here fined a 24-year-old man RM1,500, in default, two months’ jail for driving under the influence of alcohol.
Magistrate Mohd Faiz Omar imposed the fine on Archilles Primus after he pleaded guilty to a charge under Section 45A (1) of the Road Transport Act 1987.
The indictment provides for a maximum fine of RM6,000 or a jail term of up to one year, upon conviction.
Archilles was arrested for committing the offence at Jalan Lintas in Luyang at 3.15am on April 11.
In mitigation, the accused requested for leniency as he (the accused) is a first-time offender while prosecuting officer Jakariya Jupakkal prayed for an appropriate sentence.
In an unrelated case, five men were jailed for three months by another Magistrate’s Court here for consuming syabu.
All of the accused, aged between 20 and 40, who appeared before magistrate Cindy Mc Juce Balitus, pleaded guilty to a separate charge under Section 15 (1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
The indictment carries a maximum fine of RM5,000 or a jail term of up to two years, upon conviction.
They were arrested for consuming the drug after their urine samples tested positive for drug abuse at the city police station here and Penampang between May 3 and June 14.
The court also ordered all of the accused to be under police supervision for two years.
Meanwhile, the same court jailed two men for three months while another man was jailed for 11 months for possessing 0.05 gram and 2.26 grams of syabu respectively.
The magistrate imposed the sentence on all of the accused, aged between 30 and 50, after they pleaded guilty to a separate charge under Section 12 (2) of the same Act which provides for a maximum fine of RM100,000 or a jail term of up to five years, or both, upon conviction.
All of the accused were apprehended for possessing the drugs in Putatan, Likas and Penampang areas between April 11 and May 18.
The court also ordered one of the accused to be referred to the Immigration Department after serving his jail sentence as he did not have proper documentation.