Kota Kinabalu: A 32-year-old Filipino was charged with having poison for the purpose of using it to catch fish.
However, no plea was taken from Miguel Ompad Amit after the charge was read before Sessions Court Judge Elsie Primus.
The prosecution informed the court that the chemist’s report is yet to be obtained.
Miguel is accused of having two packs of poison for the purpose of using it to catch fish in an easy way at 5pm on March 17 this year inside a fishing vessel at Pulau Mengalum, near here.
The offence under Section 26(1)(c) of the Fisheries Act 1985 and punishable under Section 25(b) of the same Act read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code which provides for a fine of up to RM20,000, or a jail term of up to two years, or both, on conviction.
The court set May 5 this year for mention of the case pending the report.
Miguel, who has a valid passport, was released on bail of RM10,000 with RM5,000 deposited in two local sureties and one of the local sureties must be his employer.
The court also ordered Miguel to report to Kudat Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) once a week.
Earlier, Miguel who was not represented asked for bail to be granted saying that he has valid passport and that he is living in the State for almost ten years as well as his family also in Kudat.
His employer also would be his surety.
MMEA Deputy Public Prosecutor Nurun Nazifah Muhammad Iyen appeared for the prosecution.
