Eleven Viet fishermen charged

Kota Kinabalu: Eleven Vietnamese fishermen were charged at the Sessions Court here Wednesday with entering the country’s waters without permissions and illegal fishing.

The eight comprising Le Van Cuong, Huynh Van Ut, Vo Ninh Chanh, Nguyen Van Thien, Tran Van Ly, Phan Tan Loc, Tran Van Trung, Le Van Ty, aged between 22 and 53, appeared before Judge Elsie Primus via video conferencing.

The eight through Vietnamese interpreter pleaded guilty to illegal sea cucumber fishing at 7.30am on Sept 5, 2020 onboard of a foreign fishing boat which has no registration number at Kudat waters.

The eight were charged under Section 15(1) of the Fisheries Act 1985 and punishable under Section 25(a) of the same Act and read together under Section 34 of the Penal Code, which provides for a fine of up to RM6 million for the vessel skipper, and RM600,000 for each crew of the vessel, on conviction.

Meanwhile,  33-year-old Tran Van Danh, who also appeared via video conferencing, pleaded guilty to entering Malaysian fisheries waters without notifying the authorities.

Tran admitted to committing the offence at 4.45pm on Aug 14, 2020 on a foreign vessel at a distance of 29.7 nautical miles of the Mantanani Kecil island without notifying an authorised officer by radio, telex or facsimile in English or Malay language of the name, flag, location, route and destination of the vessel, the types and amount of fish it is carrying and of the circumstances under which it is entering Malaysian fisheries waters.

Tran was charged under Section 16(3) of the Fisheries Act 1985 which is punishable under Section 25(a) of the same Act that provides for a fine of up to RM6 million for the vessel skipper, and RM600,000 for each crew of the vessel, on conviction.

He was represented by counsel Mohd Al-Hafidz Mohd Lokman, who stood in for counsel Hamida Ambo.

Meanwhile, two boat skippers, who were brought before the judge in the open court, claimed trial respectively to two similar case.

Chan Thang Chien, 42, and Le Thanh Nhan, 47, were also accused of failing to inform the Malaysian authorities of their arrival.

Chan allegedly committed the offence at 5.47pm on July 1, 2020 on a vessel registered as One United 34, at about 29 nautical miles west of Menggalum island, here.

Le was accused of committing the offence at 6.15pm on July 1, 2020 on a vessel registered as One United 8 at about 32 nautical miles west of Menggalum island, here.

The court set Feb 10 for facts and sentencing of the first and second case in open court.

The case of Chan and Le was fixed for pre-trial case management also on Feb 10. Deputy Public Prosecutor Wan Muhammad Fitri Wan Azizan prosecuted.