M’sian convicted for trying to smuggle out Bangladeshi

SINGAPORE: A 26- year- old Malaysian has been found guilty of trying to smuggle a Bangladeshi immigration offender out of Singapore via the Woodlands checkpoint.

In a statement, the republic’s Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said Chee Tian Hao was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment and three strokes of the cane last Thursday.

Chee was arrested by ICA officers for attempting to illegally transport Md Islam Md Haris Madbar, 32, who had overstayed, in a car out of Singapore on Feb 14 last year.

Md Islam was found crouching on the floor of the rear passenger seat.

The vehicle used in the commission of the offence has been impounded and is liable for forfeiture.

Md Islam was convicted on March 15 last year and sentenced to six months’ imprisonment and five strokes of the cane.

Following the arrest of Chee and Md Islam, ICA officers conducted further investigations into the case and established that another Malaysian man was involved in the arrangement of the illegal departure.

Mohamed Haniffa Sawulmaid, 36, was stopped at the bus departure hall of Woodlands Checkpoint and arrested.

ICA officers also established that a fourth person, 61-year-old Singaporean man named Jumali Yusof, was also involved in arranging the illegal departure.

Mohamed Haniffa was convicted on Feb 28 and sentenced to eight months’ jail while Jumali was convicted on Nov 25 last year and sentenced to two years and six weeks’ imprisonment in lieu of caning.

The ICA takes a serious view of attempts to overstay, enter or depart Singapore illegally. – Bernama