Three Defendants Of Smuggling Rohingya Immigrants Sentenced To 6-8 Years In Prison

The defendant smuggled Rohingya immigrants after attending a trial at the Jantho District Court, Aceh Besar, in Aceh Besar, Wednesday (5/6/2024). ANTARA/M Haris SA

The panel of judges at the Jantho District Court, Aceh Besar District, sentenced three defendants to smuggle Rohingya ethnic immigrants to the area of it.u between 6 and 8 years in prison

The verdict was read out by the panel of judges chaired by Fadhil and accompanied by Keumala Sari and Jon Mahmud, each as member judges at the trial at the Jantho District Court, Aceh Besar District, Wednesday, June 5.

The three defendants are Mohammad Amin, a citizen of Myanmar, as the captain of the ship, and the defendant Anisul Hoque, a Bangladeshi citizen, as the assistant captain, and Habibul Basyar, as the ship's engine person in charge.

The judge sentenced the defendant Mohammad Amin to 8 years in prison, then the defendant Anisul Hoque and the defendant Habibul Basyar were sentenced to 6 years in prison each. In addition to imprisonment, the three defendants were sentenced to pay a fine of Rp. 500 million, subsidiary to 3 months in prison.

The three defendants attended the trial accompanied by their legal adviser, Muzakir, while public prosecutor Muhammad Rizza and friends from the Aceh Besar District Attorney. Meanwhile, the defendants' translators attended the trial virtually.

The panel of judges stated that the defendants were legally and convincingly proven guilty of smuggling people into Indonesian territory without any legal travel documents and not going through immigration checkpoints.

"Declaring that the defendants are guilty of violating Article 120 Paragraph (1) of Law Number 6 Year 2011 concerning immigration in conjunction with Article 55 Paragraph (1) 1st of the Criminal Code. Ordering the defendants to remain in custody," said the panel of judges.

Previously, the public prosecutor charged the defendants with smuggling 134 Rohingya immigrants into Indonesian territory through the coast of Blang Ulam Beach, Aceh Besar District, on December 10, 2023.

Based on the testimony of witnesses at the trial, the defendants quoted the money between 100 thousand and 200 thousand taka (S Bangladesh currency) as the cost of a motorboat that was headed and manned by the defendants.