KUALA LUMPUR: Social media influencer Nina Grace and her husband have been hit with five charges of possessing protected wildlife species without a licence.
Nina, whose real name is Nur Nina Farisha Woo Abdullah, and Mohamad Zulaiman Din, both 28, were charged Tuesday (Dec 9) with jointly keeping: three green tree pythons (Morelia viridis); a carpet python (Morelia spilota); a reticulated python (Python reticulatus); an iguana (Iguana iguana); and a sulcata or African spurred tortoise (Centrochelys sulcata), all without a licence.
All the reptiles are protected under the First Schedule of the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010.
The couple claimed trial to the charges.
The offence was allegedly committed at a premises in Alam Damai, Cheras, at 4.30pm on Sept 20.
They were charged under Section 60(1)(a) of the Act, which carries a maximum fine of RM50,000, up to three years' jail, or both, upon conviction.
Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) deputy public prosecutor Mas Izzaty Lokman urged for bail of RM10,000 for each accused with one surety, along with a condition requiring the accused to report to the nearest Perhilitan office once a month.
The couple, who was unrepresented, appealed for lower bail, saying they needed to provide for their two young children.
Sessions judge Siti Shakirah Mohtarudin then set Jan 8 for mention and allowed bail of RM5,000 for each accused with one surety, along with the extra condition requested by the prosecution. – Bernama
