Filipino jailed, fined for smuggling in 10 illegals
KOTA KINABALU: A 58-year-old Filipino was jailed for five years and fined RM10,000, in default, 10 years' jail for smuggling 10 illegal immigrants into Sabah.
High Court justice Datuk Nurchaya Hj Arshad imposed the sentence on Albarin Jukirain, yesterday after he pleaded guilty to the charge.
Albarin, who claimed to committing the offence for money, had trafficked in the immigrants, including a girl and a baby boy in a vessel at about 1.4 nautical miles from Tanjung Inaruntung in Pitas waters at 10pm on August 12.
The offence under Section 26A of the Anti-Trafficking-In Persons and Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 carries a jail term of up to 15 years, or with a fine, or both, upon conviction.
According to deputy public prosecutor Nurun Nazifah Muhammad Iyen from the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, the vessel was underway to Kudat from Pulau Kagayan of the Philippines when it was caught by the enforcement personnel.
In mitigation, Albarin, who was not represented, applied for leniency. However, Nurun urged for a deterrent sentence taking into account the effect on the state's safety due to such offence.
The court ordered the accused to serve the custodial sentence from the date of arrest and the vessel to be forfeited to the government.