Kota Kinabalu: A 44-year-old man was fined a total of RM75,000 for allowing 15 illegal immigrants to stay in his premises.
Lee Jiun Ming pleaded guilty before Sessions Court Judge Azreena Aziz to the charge, Wednesday.
He is accused of permitting 11 Filipinos and four Indonesians, aged between 18 and 38, who did not have any documents, to be in the premises owned by Lee at the Maple Karaoke Lounge in Pekan Koidupan, Penampang.
The offence took place at 11.40pm on June 8.
Lee was charged under Section 55E(2) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 which carries a jail term of up to a year, or a fine of between RM5,000 and RM30,000, or both, for each illegal immigrant involved.
The court ordered Lee to pay a fine of RM5,000 or two months’ jail for each illegal immigrant involved.
During mitigation, Lee asked for leniency, as he had pleaded guilty to the charge against him.
However, Prosecuting Officer Chin Tze Mee from the Immigration Department urged the court to impose an appropriate sentence as to give a lesson not only to Lee but public at large.
The court heard that a team from the Immigration Department conducted Ops Gegar at the Maple Karaoke Lounge.
During checks, 15 illegal immigrants failed to produce their documents and were arrested.
Following the arrest of the 15 illegal immigrants, a local, identified as Lee was also detained.
Investigation revealed that Lee was the owner of the premises and he was found to allow the 15 illegal immigrants to be in his premises.
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