Three Filipino turtle egg sellers jailed

SANDAKAN: The Sessions Court here jailed three Filipinos for selling turtle eggs illegally in the Sandakan Town area on Aug 7.
Abdul Bin Rasah, 60, Alkubar Bin Hamjan, 33, and Abdul Rahman Bin Ebnul, 34, were jailed one year, 14 months and 20 months, respectively, starting today.
Sessions judge Ummu Kalthom Abdul Samad meted out the punishments after the trio pleaded guilty and taking into account public interests and the implication that the sale of turtle eggs could push them into extinction.
She also ordered that they are handed to the Immigration Department after undergoing their jail terms as they did not have identification documents.
The charge was made under Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997 which carries a fine of not less than RM50,000 and not more than RM250,000 and jail of not less than a year and not more than five years.
Earlier, Sabah Wildlife Department Prosecuting officer Abdul Karim Dakong urged the court to impose a deterrent sentence taking into account public interests.
Abdul, Alkubar and Abdul Rahman were detained in an integrated operation by the Sandakan Wildlife Department, Marine Police Force and the Sandakan Municipal Council's enforcement unit.
Abdul was detained at 11.30am in Jalan Prayer Bandar Sandakan, Alkubar was detained at the same place at 12.15pm with 23 and 83 turtle eggs each, while Abdul Rahman was detained at 11.30am in front of the Wisma Khoo bus stop in Jalan Buli Sim-Sim with 130 turtle eggs. — Bernama