Five Charged In Court For Smuggling In 18 Myanmar Nationals

KLANG, April 30 (Bernama) -- Three Myanmar nationals and two local men were charged in the Sessions Court here today for the offence of smuggling 18 Myanmar nationals earlier this month.

Three of them - Hasnul Nazudi Che Ahamed (45), Mohd Faisal Taib (37), and a Myanmar woman, Ma Nge (28) - nodded in understanding after the charges were read in Malay before Judge Mohd Sabri Ismail but no pleas were recorded from any of the accused as the case falls under the jurisdiction of the High Court.

Meanwhile, the charges against two other Myanmar men will be re-read at a later date, as they do not understand the Malay language.

They are jointly charged, along with an individual still at large, with the common intention of smuggling 18 Myanmar nationals at a premises in Persiaran Wawasan, Pusat Bandar Puchong, at 12:15 pm on April 5.

The charges were framed under Section 26A of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act (ATIPSOM) 2007, which carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a fine, or both, upon conviction.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Norhidayah Abdullah Sani did not offer bail for any of the accused, citing security concerns, and requested the presence of a Myanmar interpreter to allow the charges to be re-read during the next proceeding.

The court set May 6 for the mention of the case to facilitate the attendance of a Myanmar interpreter and denied bail for all the accused, who were not represented by legal counsel.

--BERNAMA