KOTA TINGGI, May 29 — Three Indonesians were each fined RM16,500 by the Sessions Court here, today, after pleading guilty to possessing agarwood forest products and for entering the forest reserve without a permit, last Sunday.
Judge Salawati Djambari sentenced the three men, who are oil palm fruit pickers, after they pleaded guilty to the two charges.
The three of them, Hasan, 41, Gomgom Manurung, 33, and Lawrence Molo, 31, were indicted together for the first charge of possessing agarwood forest products illegally under compartment 15, from Mersing Forest Reserve, Mersing, at 10.15am, on May 22.
For the second charge, they are jointly charged with entering the forest together without a permit, at the same time and date.
For the first offence, Salawati fixed a fine of RM15,000 each in default 15 months’ jail.
For the second offence Salawati set a fine of RM1,500 each in default five months’ jail.
Deputy public prosecutor Noor Dayana Mohamad conducted the prosecution while lawyer Aziz Shukor represented the three accused. — Bernama
