TAWAU: A 42-year-old man was jailed after pleading guilty to possessing a monkey and a pangolin without a valid licence.
Jufrie Abu was sentenced by the Tawau Sessions Court after being charged with two offences under the Sabah Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997.
The court imposed 36 months’ imprisonment for possessing the pangolin and 24 months for the monkey.
The sentences will run concurrently from the date of conviction.
The offences occurred at about 11pm on June 10 at Kampung Kalumpang, along the Tawau-Semporna road.
During an inspection, Sabah Wildlife Department officers found a long-tailed macaque (Macaca nemestrina) and a Sunda pangolin (Manis javanica) in his possession.
Both species are protected under the enactment, which makes possession without a valid licence an offence.
The case was prosecuted by Sabah Wildlife Department prosecuting officer Primus Lambut.
The department said it would continue taking firm action against those who possess or handle protected wildlife without valid licences.
It also urged the public not to illegally possess or trade in protected wildlife and to report such activities to the department. – Wu Vuide
Jufrie (centre), sentenced to imprisonment for illegal wildlife possession.
