Kota Kinabalu: Seven Chinese nationals were fined a total of RM105,000 by the Sessions and Magistrate’s Courts here for overstaying in Sabah and for criminal conspiracy to offer an online investment scheme.
The seven, Lou Lie, 32, Zhou Junxiang, 19, Zhang Junjie, 20, Liu Yong Jie, 26, Ji Yongle, 21, Wang Wenjie, 25, and Liu Yao Yao, 26, pleaded guilty to the charges.
At the Sessions Court, Judge Hurman Hussain sentenced each of them to a month’s jail from the date of arrest and fined each RM10,000, or six months’ jail, for overstaying between 31 and 103 days after their Social Visit Passes had expired.
They committed the offence under Section 15(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63, punishable under Section 15(4) of the same Act.
At the Magistrate’s Court, the seven were fined RM5,000 each, or four months’ jail, after pleading guilty before Magistrate Wan Farrah Farriza Wan Ghazali to jointly agreeing to commit an offence by offering an online investment scheme.
The charge was framed under Section 417 of the Penal Code and is punishable under Section 120B(1) of the same Code. It carries a jail term of up to six months, or a fine, or both, upon conviction.
Counsel Lim Ming Zoong @ Lawrence, representing all seven, sought leniency, saying his clients had been in custody for 55 days, had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and had saved the court’s time.
He also told the court that the seven intended to purchase their own tickets and return to China.
Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Bryan Francis, who prosecuted the immigration case, urged the court to impose a deterrent sentence in the public interest and requested that the seven be referred to the Immigration Department.
DPP Noor Hafizah Anggu prosecuted the conspiracy case.
The court ordered the seven to be referred to the Immigration Department for further action.
All seven were detained at Tower A, Jesselton Twin Tower, here, at 12.27am on Aug 12 this year.
