Arrest warrant for man charged with illegal possession of live pangolin

The warrant of arrest for a man, who was charged with illegally possessing a live pangolin, was adjourned sine die by the Sessions Court here yesterday.

Judge Elsie Primus made the order on Mastang A. Natsir, 27, at the request of the prosecution since Mastang has yet to be located.

She said the warrant issued for the arrest of Mastang is still on until he is being arrested and brought to court.

Prosecuting officer Abdul Karim Dakog from the Wildlife Department informed the court that the investigating officer of the case had failed to trace the accused even after contacting police stations in Puchong and Shah Alam, Selangor.

Previously, Mastang was said to be in Puchong, working at a motorcar factory based on information obtained from his father, and a policeman had talked to the accused through the telephone, asking him to surrender to the police.

Mastang was absent since the first mention of the case on January 21. However, his alleged coaccused, Mohd Haffiz Jalan, 28, had admitted to illegally possessing Malayan pangolin and he was sentenced to a year’s jail and fined RM50,000, in default, 12 months in jail.

He was alleged to have possessed the animal at the car park of Anjung Selera in Tanjung Lipat, Likas here on October 26, 2017.

The alleged offence was framed under Section 41(1) of the Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997, which carries a maximum fine of RM50,000 or a jail term of up to five years, or both, upon conviction.