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Kota Kinabalu: A 37-year-old man was fined RM5,000 or two months’ jail for allowing an illegal immigrant to stay in his premises.

Sessions Court Judge Azreena Aziz handed the sentence to Vun Chee Fui who pleaded guilty, Wednesday.

Vun was found permitting the 23-year-old Filipina to remain in the premises at the Pusat Hiburan Brotherhood, Lorong 1 Beaufort 5, Blok 9, Beaufort Commercial Sabah at 12.24am on July 11, 2019.

The offence under Section 55E(1) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 carries a jail term of up to a year, or a fine of between RM5,000 and RM30,000, or both, for each illegal immigrant involved.

During mitigation, counsel Luke Ressa Balang who defended Vun, asked for a light sentence saying that Vun had lost his income and no longer operating the pub due to the Covid-19 situation.

Balang also informed the court that Vun is now working as a mechanic and that he has five children to look after.

The court was also told by Balang that Vun was remorseful and it was his first offence.

According to Vun, the Filipina was not his staff but a customer.

However, Prosecuting Officer Rozilah Kadi from the Immigration Department urged the court to impose an adequate sentence as such case is rampant nowadays.

Meanwhile, a company was fined RM5,000 in default two months’ jail for allowing a Filipina to stay in its premises.

Syarikat Perusahaan Kosinar Sdn Bhd through its representative, admitted to permitting the 47-year-old Filipino to stay in the company premises at Batu 28 Jalan Nabawan, Keningau at 7.44am on March 10, 2020.

The representative, a Japanese man, asked for a lenient sentence but the prosecution prayed for an appropriate sentence as this was the company’s third offence.