Two foreigners jailed, fined for possession of turtle shells

TAWAU: Two foreign nationals were sentenced to four years jail and fined RM150,000 each, in default a year's jail, by the Sessions Court here today for possession of 97kg of shells and other body parts of the Green Sea Turtles or chelonia mydas without a permit.
Judge Indra Ayub handed down the sentence on Adam Ilma, 30, and Gunak Sinduk, 20, after the two men pleaded guilty to the charge, which was read to them in the Semporna Bajau language.
Indra ordered the two men to serve the jail sentence from the date of their arrest on Oct 7 this year, following which they were to be referred to the Immigration Authority.
The two men were jointly charged under Section 41(1) of the Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997 with committing the offence at about 11 am last Oct 7 on Pulau Ligitan, Semporna.
Earlier, the prosecution, conducted by prosecuting officer Abdul Karim Dakog, from the Wildlife Department, told the court that the accused sold six turtles for RM600.

There was a foul smell in the courtroom for a moment when a gunny sack containing the turtle shells and other body parts was brought in as an exhibit and opened.
Identification of the exhibits is important by the accused, said the judge. — Bernama