Kota Kinabalu: Twelve illegal immigrants were jailed four months each for entering the State illegally.
The illegals aged between 22 and 36, pleaded guilty separately before Sessions Court Judge Hurman Hussain, to the charge against them on Monday.
They were arrested in the city areas, respectively for entering the State without identification documents, and after failing to produce their identity documents during operations carried out by the police.
They were charged under Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 which provides for a jail term of up to five years, or a fine of up to RM10,000, on conviction.
In mitigation, they pleaded for leniency and asked to be deported to their homeland as soon as possible.
The court ordered the illegals to serve the jail sentence from the date of their arrests.
After being released from prison they were ordered referred to the Immigration Department for deportation.
Inspector Deanivo Sittin appeared for the prosecution.
