Man in Samarahan placed on good-behaviour bond for illegal possession of marine turtle eggs

KUCHING (Nov 1): The Samarahan Sessions Court today placed a man on a one year good-behaviour bond of RM2,000 after he pleaded guilty to possessing 35 marine turtle eggs without the permission of the wildlife controller two years ago.

Judge Shafiza Razak Tready issued an order against Awang Asyraff Awang Ismail Nazarudin under Section 294(1) of the Criminal Procedure Code (Act 593) and ordered him to serve as his own surety.

The court ordered the return of Awang Asyraff’s seized vehicle and personal phone while upholding the forfeiture of the marine turtle eggs, which will be handed over to the prosecution for disposal under Section 50 of the Wildlife Protection Ordinance.

Awang Asyraff pleaded guilty to an alternative charge under Section 29(1) of the Wild Life Protection Ordinance 1998 and punishable under Section 29(1)(c) of the Wild Life Protection Ordinance 1998, which carries a jail term of up to two years and a fine of RM25,000 upon conviction.

He committed the offence at the car park next to a shopping mall in Kota Samarahan at 2.15am on July 22, 2022.

He also failed to furnish any permission from the wildlife controller to possess the marine turtle eggs.

Previously, on May 27, 2024, he was sentenced to four months in jail at Kota Samarahan Sessions Court pursuant to Section 37(1) of the Wild Life Protection Ordinance 1998.

On May 31, 2024, Awang Asyraff was released on bail after the Sessions Court Judge granted a stay order on his imprisonment sentence while he appealed to the High Court.

On Sept 23, 2024, High Court Judge Dato’ Dr Alwi Abdul Wahab ordered that the trial court’s conviction be overturned and sent back for a retrial.

Awang Asyraff, seen in court with crutches and represented by lawyer Fabian Sigar, has presented and tendered the medical report of Awang Asyraff for an injury on his fractured legs suffered recently.

The prosecution was handled by Deputy Public Prosecutor Ronald Felix Hardin and prosecuting officer Leonard Baring of the Sarawak Forestry Corporation.