Kota Kinabalu: Five Indonesians were jailed 12 months each for staying in the State after their passes had expired.
They were Agustinus Ado Kelen, Antonius Ua Molan, Maria Bae Thomas, Rachel Abby Simon and Yanto Welan, aged 21 and 47.
All of them pleaded guilty separately before Sessions Court Judge Hurman Hussain, to the charge against them. All the Indonesians were arrested at 12.53am on Jan 24 this year at different houses in Kg Sinulihan, Inanam.
The charge stated that the Indonesians had stayed in the State even though their Temporary Visit passes had expired on June 18, 2023. They had overstayed for one year and seven months.
The offence under Section 15(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 carries a fine of at least RM10,000, or a jail term of up to five years, or both, on conviction.
All of them were ordered to serve the jail sentence from the date of their arrest and referred to the Immigration Department for further action after completing their jail sentence.
During mitigation, all the Indonesians asked for lenient sentence and that the sentence to be served from the date of their arrests. They also asked for them to be deported to their hometown.
The Indonesians were arrested by the Immigration Department during an operation carried out by the department at the said area. Immigration Department Prosecuting Officer Chin Tze Mee appeared for the prosecution.
