Kota Kinabalu: Five people were charged in the Sessions Court here Thursday for various offences under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrant (ATIPSOM) Act 2007 and one charge under Immigration Act 1959/63 which are related to an allegation of smuggling two Filipinas.
The court did not record any plea from Michael Pillai, 60, Phoebe Yanoc Indoc, 59, Chuk Tak Bo, 50, Divina Gutierez Sanchez, 45, and Royhan Abd Mutalif, 33, before Sessions Court Judge Noor Hafizah Mohd Salim for their offences under ATIPSOM Act 2007.
Judge Noor Hafizah set Jan 30, 2023 to re-mention the cases and no bail was given to the five accused.
Michael and a Filipina Phoebe were accused of jointly hiding two Filipinas and having the knowledge that both were allegedly smuggled at an unnumbered house in Penampang between Nov 18 at 10pm and Nov 23.
The charge, under Section 26H of the ATIPSOM Act 2007 read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code, provides for a jail term of up to 10 years or a fine or both, upon conviction.
Chuk, who worked as a cook, faces two charges namely on the first charge he was alleged to have given the two victims fraud travel documents - passports so that the alleged smuggling of the two victims was running smoothly at the same place at 6am on Nov 23, 2022.
The alleged offence, under Section 26E of the same Act 2007, carries a jail term of up to 15 years and liable to a fine or both, upon conviction.
On the second charge, Chuk pleaded not guilty to possessing the two passports which allegedly had entry endorsements which are fake at a house in Taman Kendara, Jalan Kepayan/Nosoob at 10.30am on Dec 7, 2022.
The charge, under Section 56 (1) (I), punishable under Section 56 (1) (aa), both of the Immigration Act, provides for a fine of up to RM10,000 or a jail term of up to five years, upon conviction.
Divina, a Filipina, was accused of smuggling the two victims in Kota Belud at 7pm on Nov 18, 2022.
She was charged under Section 26A of the ATIPSOM Act 2007 which is punishable by a jail term of up to 15 years or a fine or both, upon conviction.
For Royhan, who is an e-hailing car driver, was accused of transporting the two victims on a four-wheel car in Kota Belud at 7pm on Nov 18, 2022.
The alleged offence, under Section 26J of the ATIPSOM Act 2007, carries a jail term of up to five years or a fine or both, upon conviction.
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