Mother of five jailed for overstaying

KOTA KINABALU: A mother of five was jailed four months for overstaying in Sabah.

Sessions Court judge Noor Hafizah Mohd Salim imposed the sentence on Albaija Jamamawe Salih, 35, after the latter admitted to the offence, yesterday.

Albaija had committed an offence under Section 15 (1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63, which provides for a maximum fine of RM10,000 or a jail term of up to five years or both, upon conviction.

Based on the facts which was submitted to the court by prosecuting officer Assistant Superintendent of Police, Sabrina Jinus, Albaija’s passport had expired on June 28, 2017.

In mitigation, Albaija, who was not represented, prayed for leniency and requested to be deported back to her country as soon as possible.

Meanwhile in the same court, seven men and a woman were also jailed for four months for entering the state without valid documents.

The foreigners, aged between 18 and 50 pleaded guilty before the judge to each of their charges 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.

Four of the men were also ordered to be whipped once while others were spared and all of them will be referred to the Immigration Department after serving their sentence for their biometric data to be recorded before deportation.