Bombed fish: Fishermen jailed, fined
Published on: Wednesday, August 17, 2022
By: Cynthia D Baga
Majjad was ordered referred to the Immigration Department after completing his jail sentence as he only has a Kad Burung-Burung (letter from the Chief Minister’s Department (JKM)), as his identification document.
Kota Kinabalu: Two fishermen were jailed eight months and fined RM5,000 or six months behind bars each for having various types of bombed fish.Jolhin Sanaut, 48, and Majjad Bani, 61, pleaded guilty separately before Sessions Court Judge Elsie Primus to the charge against them on Tuesday.
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The duo was found having the various types of fish which caught by explosive at 3.15pm on Aug 4 this year inside a fishing boat in Pulau Mengalum, near here.
The offence, under Section 26(1)(c ) of the Fisheries Act 1985 and punishable under Section 25(b) of the same Act read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code, rovides for a fine of up to RM20,000 or a jail term of up to two years, or both, on conviction. The court ordered the fishermen to serve the jail sentence from the date of their arrest on Aug 4 this year.
Majjad was ordered referred to the Immigration Department after completing his jail sentence as he only has a Kad Burung-Burung (letter from the Chief Minister’s Department (JKM)), as his identification document.
During mitigation, both Jolhin and Majjad, who were not represented, asked for leniency.
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Jolhin told the court that he has four children to look after and that he is sick, while Majjad said he has six children.
However, Deputy Public Prosecutor Risal Abd Fikkah from the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) urged the court to impose a deterrent and adequate sentence for sake of public interest as it was a serious offence.
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Risal also asked for the boat to be returned to the registered owner.
The court ordered the boat involved to be returned to the registered owner whilst all equipment and items being seized that were used in the commission of the offence to be forfeited to the Government of Malaysia. The bombed fishes to be returned to the prosecution for disposal.
The court heard that a team of Marine police conducted an operation at the said area and had stopped the boat where the team found various types of fish believed to be caught with explosives.
The two men, later identified as Jolhin and Majjad, were brought by the police for further investigation.
The fish were sent to the Fisheries Department for investigation and the chemist’s report on the fish confirmed that the fish was caught by using explosives.
Jolhin and Majjad were the persons who caught the fish with explosives.
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