Malaysia: Filipino charged with possession of protected green turtle's carcasses

ABDUL RAHEMANG TAIMING New Straits Times 5 Sep 18;

TAWAU: A Filipino man was today charged at the Sessions court here with the possession of turtle carcasses weighed 92.5kg.

Junaidi Umarati, 19, pleaded not guilty when the charge read in Bajau language by a translator from Sabah Wildlife Department before judge Awang Kerisnada Awang Mahmud.

He was accused of possessing 73.5kg of the wildlife’s plastrons, 17.5kg scales,1.5kg of tails at Sisipan waters off Semporna on Aug 24 at about 3.30pm.

All of the body parts belonged to green turtle species (Chilonea mydas) that was listed as a total protected species under the Sabah Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997.

A Filipino man was charged at the Sessions court here with the possession of turtle carcasses weighed 92.5kg. Photo credit: Abdul Rahemang Taiming
Junaidi was accused under Section 41(1) of Sabah Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997, punishable under Section 41 (4) under the same enactment.

The offence carries a fine not less than RM50,000 and up to RM250,000 and maximum five years’ imprisonment.

Prosecution was conducted by prosecuting officer Silvester @ Sylvester Saimin from Sabah Wildlife Department.

The court granted prosecution’s application for no bail until the cases management date with grounds that the accused did not have valid identification document.

The judge also ordered the accused to be detained under Section 259 of Criminal Procedure Code.