Kota Kinabalu: Thirty-two illegal immigrants were jailed four months each for entering the State illegally.
They were Ancong Mansur, Mazlan Hassan, Murdas Boy, Ratna Tamsi, Saimar Ajmir, Udin Alimuddin, Stepanus Lawe Open, Aslsad Sairi, Jojo Alih, Rahmat Dani, Rahmat Oscar, Ardi Ardianus, Asid Hasan, Basir Mustalin, Jamil Basir, Sandel Usama, Erwan Sapri, Erwin Sapri, Lenny Kampong, Adam Amir, Mohamad Rustan, Alnajib Maman, Samir Zainal, Absang Sahiri, Afiq Mansur, Faizal Tandani, John Zenn Alponso, Omar Jarabi, Suhaili Palil, Wilmina Abdu Rasid, Rizmal Jamiri and Eith Jainal Hadjirol, aged 20 and 50.
All the illegal immigrants comprising Indonesians and Filipinos pleaded guilty separately before Sessions Court Judge Hurman Hussain, to entering the State without their valid documents.
The offence under Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/1963 provides for a jail term of up to five years, or a fine of up to RM10,000, and whipping, on conviction.
The illegal immigrants were arrested by the Immigration Department team during operations in Ranau, Tenom, Kemabong, Kota Marudu, Penampang, Putatan and here in January and February this year.
During the operations, they failed to produce their identification documents to the Immigration personnel.
During mitigation, they informed the court that they had stayed in the State without any documents for several months and years and worked as labourers.
The illegal foreigners asked to be deported to their respective hometowns as soon as possible.
The court ordered the illegal immigrants to serve the jail sentence from the date of their arrests.
After completing their jail sentence, all of the illegals were ordered referred to the Immigration Department for further action.
Prosecuting Officer Yolanda Ismail Uvaraj from the Immigration Department appeared for the prosecution.
