HUMAN TRAFFICKING MASTERMINDS JAILED, FINED

SANDAKAN (Malaysia), June 18 (Bernama) -- Two Filipinos and a Malaysian were
given jail sentences and fined by the Sessions Court here Friday after they
plead guilty to human trafficking and smuggling migrants.

The Filipinos, Jamnul Arola Angsa, 42, and Venus Andreas Guevarra, 39, a
woman, were each sentenced to seven years jail and fined RM3,000 (US$1=RM3.04)
or three months jail in default by Judge Ummu Kalthum Abdul Samad .

Alikh Ismail, 40, was sentenced to six years in prison and RM2,000 fine or
two months jail in default.

They were charged under Section 26A and 26(H) respectively of the
Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007.

Deputy public prosecutors Mohd Fillanny Siji, Mohd Rithwan Mohd Salleh and
Chew Ban Huat conducted the prosecution.

The convicted were reported to be the masterminds behind human trafficking
activities in Sandakan.

They were arrested during an operation mounted by Sabah
Immigration Department on June 5.

They had smuggled in women by luring them with jobs as nightclub singers and
waitresses in Sabah, Labuan and Sarawak.

Mohd Fillanny had urged the judge to take into account the gravity of
their offencem which involved national security and had international
implications.

The three accused were unrepresented.

Ummu Kalthum ordered the jail sentences to run fron the arrest date.

-- BERNAMA