Court enhances jail sentence on Rohingya who harboured migrants

PUTRAJAYA: A Rohingya UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) refugee returns to jail today, as the Court of Appeal enhanced his jail sentence to five years for harbouring 20 Bangladeshi and Myanmar migrants smuggled into the country.
A three-man bench comprising appellate court judges Datuk Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim and Datuk Vernon Ong Lam Kiat, and High Court judge Datuk Suraya Othman increased the jail sentence on 32-year-old Muhammad Yunus from three to five years.
"We agree that the sentence imposed by the High Court on the respondent (Muhammad Yunus) was manifestly inadequate," said Abang Iskandar.
In allowing the prosecution's appeal, he held that its (the prosecution's appeal) had merits and ordered Muhammad Yunus to serve his jail sentence from the date of his arrest on July 2, 2015.
Muhammad Yunus was released from prison on July 2 this year after serving the three-yearjail term. He was subsequently, placed at the Belantik immigration detention depot in Sik, Kedah, pending appeal.
Deputy public prosecutor Anas Bashari submitted that a deterrent sentence should be given for such offence to show that offences involving the country's security and sovereignty should not be taken lightly.
He said the sentence should serve as a lesson to Muhammad Yunus and all those persons including foreign immigrants, involved in similar offences.
Muhammad Yunus' counsel, Burhanudeen Abdul Wahid argued that the High Court considered all the facts when sentencing his client to three years' jail. He said Muhammad Yunus was not the main perpetrator.
Muhammad Yunus pleaded guilty at the Alor Setar High Court to harbouring 12 Bangladeshis and eight Myanmar migrants aged between 18 and 54, at Lot 84, Jalan Titi Haji Idris, Kampung Alor Sentap, Pokok Sena, Kedah at 4.44am on July 2, 2015.
According to the facts of the case, a police team raided the house and found some men believed to be Myanmar and Bangladeshi citizens without valid travel documents, in a feeble state.
Investigations revealed the men entered Malaysia through an agent and were promised work. However, upon arrival in Malaysia, they were confined in a house until their family members paid money to the agent to secure their release. — Bernama