KOTA KINABALU: A Tawau court has jailed two men for a year and fined them RM200,000 each after they pled guilty to possessing pangolins, a species listed as ‘totally protected’ by law.
The accused Azlan, 34, and Artan Asrianto, 24, pleaded guilty before Tawau Sessions Court judge Ahmad Faizadh Yahaya on Monday (Jan 13).
Both the accused are subject to an additional 12-month jail if they fail to pay their fine.
According to the facts of the case, both men were found to possess four live pangolins believed to be of the Manis Javanica species at around 11.40am on Jan 4.
They were nabbed at a parking lot at Batu 2, Jalan Bubul Semporna, the court heard.
Sabah Wildlife Department officer Primus Lambut prosecuted while both the accused were not represented.
Pangolins are a totally protected species under the Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997.
If convicted, a person can be fined between RM50,000 and RM250,000 and jailed between one and five years for the offence.
