Policemen escort Dullah following proceedings at the Kuching High Court today.
KUCHING (April 1): The High Court here today sentenced a former police officer to two years in jail for engaging in the conveyance of three smuggled migrants last year.
Judge Alexander Siew How Wai convicted Dullah Nulhadi on his own guilty plea to a charge framed under Section 26J of Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (Atipsom) Act 2007.
The Section provides for a jail term not exceeding five years, or a maximum fine of RM250,000, or both.
Dullah, who hails from Sabah, committed the offence during a roadblock at KM9, Jalan Sri Aman/Betong at 4.50pm on June 13, 2023.
Based on the facts of the case, a policewoman and her team were on duty at the roadblock around 4pm when they spotted a car passing through.
Upon examination, the driver, Dullah, claimed to be a police officer from the Selangau police station and upon verification this was found to be true.
Dullah, who was alone at the time, then asked for permission to pass through the roadblock later with Indonesian passengers, but was warned by the policewoman not to do anything illegal.
He was then allowed to pass through the roadblock.
At around 4.50pm on the same day, Dullah drove through the same roadblock and was stopped for examination again.
Upon examination, it was found that Dullah was driving three migrants believed to be Indonesian citizens.
The subsequent investigation found the three Indonesians were led into Sarawak via an illegal route through the jungle and Dullah was waiting at the guard house of a palm oil plantation to pick them up.
Based on a search conducted with the Immigration Department, there were no records of entry to Malaysia for the migrants.
The three smuggled migrants also stated that Dullah drove the car they had travelled in.
DPP Jean Siow Chung Hwei prosecuted the case while Dullah was represented by counsel Simon Siah.
Separately, the three snuggled migrants were charged at the Kota Samarahan Sessions Court under Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 for illegal entry into Malaysia and were sentenced accordingly.
