Cop among six charged with human trafficking

KOTA KINABALU: Six men, including an airport police personnel and a Filipino, have claimed trial in the High Court here yesterday to charges of trafficking in immigrants between October, 2017 up to October, 2018.

The accused persons, Muksin Munib, 60, Amin Ali, 28, Omar Sapari, 53, Jasnih Ot Ali @ Mohd Alli, 54, Badri Jalal, 62 and Amir Abdul Latif, 50, who appeared before Justice Datuk Nurchaya Hj Arshad, were each charged under Section 26A of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (ATIPSOM) Act 2007, which provides for a jail term of up to 15 years or a fine or both, upon conviction.

In his charge sheet, Muksin was alleged to have trafficked in four Filipinos and a 45-yearold Filipina at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA), at 1.19 pm between June 3, 2017 and Oct 24, 2018.

Amin was charged with trafficking four men and two women, aged between 23 and 30 years old, at the same place at 6.30 pm between Aug 9, 2017 and Oct 24, 2018.

Omar was charged with trafficking seven men and a woman, aged between 20 and 37 years old, at 12.10 am at the same place and date. Airport police personnel, Jasnih, was charged with trafficking a 20-year-old man and a woman, aged 55, at the same place at 5.15 pm between February 2017 and Oct 24, 2018.

Meanwhile, Badri was charged with trafficking two Filipinos, aged 27 and 45 years old, and a 20-year-old Filipino at the same place at 7.40 pm between Sept 13, 2017 and Oct 28, 2018.

Amir was charged with trafficking one Filipino at the same place at 2.55 pm between October 11 and November 7, 2018.

The court set April 3 for case management and ordered for the accused persons to be further detained in custody, pending disposal of their cases.

Deputy public prosecutor, Mohd Khairuddin Idris, appeared for the prosecution while counsels, Mohd Al Hafidz Mohd Lokman and Luqman Syazwan, represented Muksin, counsel Hj Ansari Abdullah represented Amin and Omar.

Jasnih and Badri were defended by counsel Hamid Ismail while Amir was represented by counsel P J Perira.