Man fined RM120k for illegally keeping, ill treating 109 pangolins

ALOR STAR: A single father of two was fined RM120,000 in default one year in prison by the Sessions Court here today, for three counts of keeping 109 pangolins without a permit and one charge of ill treating them.
Manshor Hat, 49, pleaded guilty when the charges were read out to him before Sessions Judge Zanol Rashid Hussain.
On the first count, he was fined RM50,000 or four months imprisonment for illegally keeping 51 of the endangered species in an enclosure at Kampung Kubang Airang, Mukim Sungai Laka, Changlun at 12 noon on Dec 30, 2016.
On the second count, he was fined RM30,000 or three months imprisonment for illegally keeping 35 immature pangolins in an enclosure at the same place, time and date.
On the third count, he was fined RM30,000 or three months imprisonment for illegally keeping 23 female pangolins in an enclosure at the same place, time and date.
He was fined RM10,000 or two months imprisonment for ill-treating the animals.
Manshor Hat who was unrepresented, paid the fines.
The prosecution was conducted by Department of Wildlife and National Parks deputy public prosecutor Nur Ainaa Ridzwan. — Bernama