Kota Kinabalu: Nineteen illegal immigrants were jailed four months each for entering the State illegally.
They were Archie Otos, Nishra Mindang, Julius Dino, Aladin Jainuddin, Danial Sabongkotak, Rijad Rikardus Doni Daho, Revalina Masa Laot, Anamey Bensali, Carmina Taruk, Jupri Abdullah, Mariam Said, Muhammad Azmin Kamar Sharif, Muharram Mabbul, Asrim Gapal, Kismal Muhammad, Abdul Hisam Ismail, Eddy Pino, Hazizul Idris and Dodong Jeprey, aged 22 to 51.
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 team who carried out operations in Keningau, Tambunan and Sipitang in 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, carpenters and farmers.
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 illegal foreigners were ordered referred to the Immigration Department for further action.
Prosecuting Officer Mohd Sharifuddin Salim from the Immigration Department appeared for the prosecution.
