Kota Kinabalu: Ten illegal migrants were jailed four months each for entering the State illegally.
They pleaded guilty separately before Sessions Court Judge Hurman Hussain, to entering the State without valid documents.
The accused comprising Filipinos and Indonesians were arrested at different places in the city, Sipitang and Tenom, recently after failing to produce their valid documents to the Immigration personnel during operations.
They committed 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.
In mitigation, the illegal immigrants begged for leniency and deportation to their hometown as soon as possible.
The court ordered them to serve the jail sentence from the date of their arrests and be referred to the Immigration Department for deportation after serving the jail term.
In the same court, six people were fined RM10,000 or spend 12 months in prison each for overstaying.
The accused who comprised Filipinos and Pakistanis admitted to staying in the State after their travel documents had been expired for several months and years.
They were detained during operations by the Immigration personnel in Sipitang and Tenom, recently.
All the Pakistanis paid the fine and the court ordered them to be referred to the Immigration Department for deportation.
Meanwhile, a Pakistani was fined a total of RM5,500 for illegal entry and breaching the conditions on his travel document.
For the offence of illegally entering the State, the Pakistani was fined RM5,000 or jailed four months and for the second offence he was ordered to pay RM500 or three months’ jail.
Prosecuting Officer Gressia Yolanda Ismail Uvaraj from the Immigration Department appeared for the prosecution.
