Turkish woman fined RM8,000 for illegal possession of bullets at KLIA

SEPANG: A Turkish woman was fined RM8,000 in default eight months jail at the Magistrate's Court yesterday for being in possession of 18 live bullets at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) in September.

Magistrate Yusna Khadijah Md Yusop meted out the fine on Fatma Nilufer Senyuva, 62, after she pleaded guilty to possessing 18 small-size live bullets, believed to be 70 year old, without licence or permit at the Gate C15 of the departure hall of the KLIA at about 10.43pm on Sept 20.

Senyuva was charged under Section 8 (a) of the Firearms Act 1960 and punishable under the same section which carries a jail term of not more than seven years or a fine not exceeding RM10,000 or both, upon conviction.

Senyuva, the wife of former defence attache at the Turkish Embassy in Kuala Lumpur in 1994, has been living in Malaysia for 24 years following her husband's retirement from the Turkish Navy.

The couple lived here under Malaysia My Second Home programme and in the process of gaining a permanent resident status. Senyuva, who was represented by lawyer Zaflee Pakwanteh, in her appeal, said on the day of the incident she took her husband's bag without realising there were live bullets in it as she was rushing to return to Turkey following the passing of her father-in-law.

Zaflee also submitted a letter from the Turkish government's agency that was responsible for producing and supplying weapon to the country's armed forces in Ankara to verify that the bullets found in Senyuva's possession were manufactured before 1950 and had passed the expiry date as well as ceased to function properly.

However, Deputy Public Prosecutor Aziatul Afrizan Alias called for just punishment as an inspection carried out by the KLIA bomb disposal unit found that the bullets could function properly if it was properly launched.