KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 17 — A Vietnamese laundry shop worker was fined RM15,000 by the Sessions Court, here, today on two charges of keeping the body parts of two protected wildlife species in August.

Judge Harmi Thamri Mohamad @ Shaharudin ordered Nguyen Van Son, 25, to pay a fine of RM7,500 on each of the two charges, or six months’ jail in default of each.

On the first count, Nguyen was charged with keeping, without a special permit, the tusk of an elephant, a totally protected animal, at a walkway in OUG Parkland, 152 Jalan Puchong, here, at 1.30am on Aug 31, this year.

He was also charged with keeping, without a special permit, the paw of a sun bear, which is also a totally protected wildlife, at the same place and time.

The charges were made under Section 68(1)(b) of the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 (Act 716), which provides for a fine of up to RM100,000 or up to three years’ jail.

Earlier, Department of Wildlife and National Parks prosecuting officer, Abdul Aziz Mohd Yasin asked the court for the maximum sentence be passed on the accused as it was a serious case involving protected wildlife.

Nguyen’s counsel, Tharamjit Singh, meanwhile, asked for the minimum sentence as it was his client’s first offence.

The accused paid the fines imposed by the court. — Bernama