SANDAKAN: A 44-year-old man has been sentenced to a year in jail and fined RM50,000 after pleading guilty to possessing 120 green turtle eggs, Thursday (15 Oct).
Jumadil Jamil admitted to the offence before Sandakan Sessions Court judge Khushairy Ibrahim, who also ordered him to serve an additional six months in jail if he failed to pay the fine.
He was found in possession of the eggs at a parking area in front of a restaurant in Kota Kinabatangan at about 8.06pm on July 4 last year.
The eggs belonged to the green turtle (Chelonia mydas), a fully protected species under Schedule 1, Part 1 of the Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997.
Jumadil was charged under Section 41(1) of the enactment, punishable under Section 41(4)(a), which carries a fine of between RM50,000 and RM250,000 and imprisonment of between one and five years.
Sabah Wildlife Department prosecuting officer Primus Lambut conducted the prosecution, while Jumadil was unrepresented.
