Kota Kinabalu court fines Filipina RM10,000 for overstaying

KOTA KINABALU (March 19): The Sessions Court here has fined a Filipina RM10,000 in default 12 months’ jail for overstaying in Sabah after her special pass had expired.

Judge Hurman Hussain imposed the fine on Jessibel Tulio Espinosa, 27, after she pleaded guilty to a charge under Section 15 (1) (c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63, which is punishable under Section 15 (4) of the same Act.

The Section provides for a fine of up to RM10,000, or jail term of up to five years, or both upon conviction.

Jessibel was arrested for committing the offence at a grocery store in Penampang on Feb 26.

She settled the fine.

In a separate case, 15 foreigners were each sentenced to four months’ jail for separate charges of entering the state illegally.

They were each convicted on their own guilty to charges framed under Section 6 (1) (c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63.

The indictment provides for a jail term of up to five years, or a fine of up to RM10,000, or both upon conviction.

The foreigners were arrested after failing to produce any valid travel documents during separate operations throughout Sabah.

The court also ordered the Philippine and Indonesian nationals to be referred to the Immigration Department after completing their jail terms.

Immigration Department prosecuting officers Gressia Yolanda Ismail Uvaraj, Kamrul Md Yusof, and Chin Tze Mee appeared for the prosecution while none of the accused had legal counsel.