Kuching fishmonger jailed 6 months for possessing 490 turtle eggs after high court allows prosecution’s appeal

By Dorcas Ting

KUCHING, April 26: The High Court here on Friday (April 25) allowed a prosecution appeal and sentenced a fishmonger to six months in jail for the illegal possession of 490 turtle eggs three years ago.

Judge Leonard David Shim imposed the revised sentence on Amir Tahrimie Ya’kob, 37, after the prosecution successfully appealed against the original sentence handed down by the Sessions Court.

The judge also upheld the RM24,500 fine previously imposed by the Sessions Court.

On June 27, 2024, Amir pleaded guilty at the Sessions Court to a charge under Section 37(1) of the Wildlife Protection Ordinance 1998, punishable under Section 37(2)(a) read together with Section 29(1)(c) of the same ordinance.

He was charged with possessing 490 turtle eggs of the Chelonidae species without written permission from the Controller of Wildlife at a premises along Jalan Sultan Tengah around 6pm on July 15, 2022.

The Sessions Court initially fined him RM24,500 or six months in prison in default. Amir paid the fine.

According to the case facts, a team of officers from the Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) inspected the premises suspected of storing protected wildlife items and discovered five transparent plastic bags containing the turtle eggs.

Further investigations revealed that Amir failed to produce any written permission from the Controller of Wildlife to possess the eggs, which are protected under Sarawak’s laws.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Arvin Khan led the prosecution’s appeal, while Amir was represented by counsel Theresa Dunstan Udam. — DayakDaily

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