Indian national fined RM20,000 over illegals

KOTA KINABALU: An Indian national was fined a total of RM20,000, in default, 20 months’ jail by the Sessions Court here yesterday for allowing four illegal immigrants to remain in a premises.

Jaheerusen Ahamadsha pleaded guilty before judge Azreena Aziz, to a charge under Section 55B (1) of the Immigration Act 1959/63.

The court imposed RM5,000 fine, in default, five months’ imprisonment for each immigrant.

The accused, who was defended by counsel Dominic Chew, admitted to allowing the foreigners, who had no valid travel documents, to be at a restaurant here on September 1, 2017.

Meanwhile, his co-accused Malaysian Zainal Abidin Mohammad claimed trial to committing a similar offence at the same time and place.

The court fixed April 16 to re-mention the case while the co-accused, who was also represented by the same counsel, is currently released on a bail of RM2,000 with two local sureties.

Earlier, the prosecution tendered alternative charges for both the accused who were originally charged with hiring the illegal immigrants.

Meanwhile, four men were each sentenced between four to five months’ jail by the same court after they admitted to their separate charges of entering the State illegally.

The court also ordered the four accused aged between 30 and 32 to be given one stroke of the cane.

Prosecuting officer Inspector Lim Swee Beng told the court that the four foreigners were arrested during an operation here recently.