Macau scam: Another 40 Chinese citizens to be charged Nov 12
Published on: Tuesday, November 12, 2019
By: Cynthia D Baga
KOTA KINABALU: Thirty-two Chinese nationals, who were arrested in connection with a “Macau scam” syndicate, were brought in court for committing immigration offences.
The Chinese nationals, comprising five women and the rest men, were aged between 18 and 33.
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All of them pleaded guilty before Sessions Court Judge Azreena Aziz after the charge against them was read in Mandarin language on Monday.
Twenty-six of them were fined RM4,000 or four months’ jail each for entering the State without documents.
They committed the offence under Section 6(1)(c ) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 which provides for a jail term up to five years, or a fine of up to RM10,000, or both, and whipping, on conviction.
The Chinese nationals who came to the State as tourists, were arrested between 1pm and 5.35pm on Oct 23 this year at two different location in Lido-Avenue and D’Junction, Penampang.
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They were arrested during the two raids conducted by the police at the places after failing to produce their documents.
Meanwhile, the other six were fined RM10,000 or five months’ jail each for overstaying in the State after their visit passes were expired between a week and two weeks.
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The six were also arrested together with the 26 during the raids.
During mitigation, counsel Mohd Al-Hafidz Lokman who represented all the Chinese nationals asked for a minimum fine only saying that all his clients were first offenders.
Mohd Al-Hafidz also informed the court that the Chinese nationals had repented their offences and that they admitted to the charge against them.
However, Deputy Public Prosecutor Hurman Husin urged the court to impose an appropriate sentence against all the Chinese nationals.
It was reported recently that about 80 Chinese nationals were arrested in relation to the syndicate.
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