Corpun file 13892

Borneo Bulletin, Bandar Seri Begawan, 18 August 2004

Jail, cane for assaulting policeman

By Malai FadleyRizal

A 22-year-old local was sentenced to a year's jail and three strokes of the cane after pleading guilty to a charge of assaulting a policeman on duty before the Bandar Magistrate's Court Monday.

According to Deputy Public Prosecutor Hjh Najwa assisted by Captain Ratno Eddy Sophian, the defendant known as Muhammad Sahrun Hj Nayan, pleaded guilty to the charge of assaulting a policeman by punching him and leaving a contusion on the left side of his face.

The defendant was also fined $1,500 or 3 months' imprisonment after admitting to a charge of consuming Methylamphetamine.

Failure to pay the fine, results in the defendant serving the default sentence consecutively to the jail term for the assault charge.

Meanwhile, in the same case, Azian Bugal was jailed for 2 years and 8 months with two strokes of the cane for charges of car theft, committing mischief by causing damage to one of the stolen cars and another of consuming Methylamphetamine.

Another local man aged 42, Mohd Taufiq Abdullah, admitted to a joint charge with Azian of car theft and was sentenced to eight months' jail.

Copyright © 2003 Brunei Press Sdn Bhd. All right reserved.

Corpun file 13915

Borneo Bulletin, Bandar Seri Begawan, 19 August 2004

Foreign fugitive caught napping at squatter house

By Lyna Mohamad, CT Hj Mahmod and Malai FadleyRizal

A 40-year-old Malaysian man, who had been barred from entering the country since 1994 and was on the Immigration Department's 'A' wanted list, was caught in an immigration raid early yesterday morning.

Linang anak Gerai @ Rahman anak Gerai @ John Hell, had slipped into the country and remained on the move making it difficult for the law enforcers to trace his whereabouts.

Yesterday, he was jailed for a year and ordered to be given three strokes of the cane after he pleaded guilty to entering and residing in Brunei illegally after being barred from entering the country and another charge of entering Brunei without possessing a valid pass.

In the Bandar Magistrate's Court yesterday, the Immigration Prosecuting Officer told Senior Magistrate Radin Safiee that Linang was arrested by enforcement officers from the Immigration Department at a squatter house in Kg Sg Kianggeh at about 1.15 am yesterday.

The defendant was brought in for investigations after he failed to produce his passport during the raid. Immigration personnel found out that he is a "prohibited immigrant" and had been barred from entering the country since 1994. The defendant had a conviction for immigration offences in 1993 and another committed about five months after he was barred. He admitted entering the country illegally on June 2 this year.

Linang was arrested during "Ops Buru 46" conducted by a team of 30 enforcement officers headed by Senior Chief Immigration Officer, Tuan Jumat Hj Burut. They caught Linang sleeping inside one of the squatter houses during a raid on a squatter house area in Kg Sg Kianggeh.

Linang had been caught twice before his arrest that night and he had stayed at squatter houses in Bukit Selilah and Kg Berangan in the capital, which have since been demolished by the municipal authorities.

Meanwhile, three other foreigners out of the 19 who were rounded up in the raid that started Tuesday evening and lasted until early yesterday morning, targeting areas in Kg Mulaut, Kg Sg Kianggeh, Kg Tanjong Nangka and Kg Bunut, were also found to have overstayed in the country after their work and visit pass had expired.

Indonesians Asyhari (aged 41) and Jumani (aged 28) were found to have overstayed in the country after their work pass expired on 24th June 2004. They were told to pay a compound of $300 for their offence within a week, failing which they are liable to be prosecuted in court.

Another Indonesian, 25-year-old David Efendi was found to have overstayed in the country after his visit pass expired on 29th December 2003. He will be brought to court today for prosecution.

SCIO Tuan Jumat again stressed the importance of employers allowing their foreign workers to hold their own passports or provide them with a clear photocopy of their passport with valid working passes.

Despite the numerous reminders, he said, employers seemed to either ignore or simply forget to follow the department's advice and such ignorance had led to inconveniences for the foreign workers as well as the Immigration Department.

He said that it is an offence under section 12 (1) ( g) of the Passport Act for anyone to have in his possession a passport not belonging to him without the consent of the passport holder and such an offender is liable to face a fine of $5,000 and three years' imprisonment.

The Immigration Department vowed to continue to conduct raids to sweep out illegal immigrants and track down any fugitives.

The department extended its appreciation to the public for giving tip-offs on illegal activities and hoped the people would continue to do so by contacting the department through hotlines 2383555 or 2383777.

Copyright © 2004 Brunei Press Sdn Bhd. All right reserved.