MIRI: Two Indonesian men were sentenced to 21 months’ jail and fined RM146,000 in default seven months’ jail by the Miri Sessions Court on Tuesday for possessing illegally 75 protected and wild birds.
Judge Mohd Taufik Mohd alias Mohd Yusoff ordered the sentences to run concurrently from the date of their arrest.
Accused, Mosekdi, 34, and Achmad Yani, 30, were found guilty under Sections 29(2) and 37 (2)(c) of the Wild Life Protection Ordinance 1998.
They were detained with a total of 75 protected and wild animals of various species in their possesion during a raid held at a premise at Jalan Bakam on April 20 around 8.15pm.
Among those protected species found were White-Rumped Shamas, Spotted Doves, Zebra Doves, Emerald Doves, Oriental Magpie-Robins, Pink -Necked Green Pigeons, Yellow-vented Bulbul, Chesnut-cheeked starlings and Long-tailed Shrikes.
Both accused were not represented by counsel while Muhammad Syafiq Sapri was the prosecuting officer
They pleaded for leniency, saying that it was their first offence. In the country illegally, they will be deported after completing their sentences.
