Filipino jailed for being Abu Sayyaf member
KOTA KINABALU: A Filipino man was sentenced to 13 years in prison by the High Court yesterday after he pleaded guilty to being a member of the Abu Sayyaf militant group.
Judge Alwi Abdul Wahab ordered Marsan Ajilul @ Anuar Mohamad Asnalul, 32, to serve his sentence from the date of his arrest. The accused is currently serving his jail sentence for immigration-related offences.
During mitigation, Marsan, who was unrepresented, admitted his mistake of joining the militant group.
The man, who has four children, told the court he had repented and had fled to Malaysia to start a new life.
Deputy public prosecutor Muhammad Fadzlan Mohd Noor requested the court to impose a heavy sentence on the accused.
“The accused has committed an offence by becoming an Abu Sayyaf militant member. This is a serious offence as it involves violence,” he said.
His offence is framed under Section 130KA of the Penal Code, which carries a jail sentence that may extend to life imprisonment and is liable to a fine, if convicted.
On April 13, the Sessions Court sentenced Marsan to six months’ jail and a stroke of the rotan after he pleaded guilty to not possessing valid identification documents, under Section 6(c) of the Immigration Act.
He was arrested on March 15 at 10.30am at the Sabah police headquarters in Kepayan here.