A 21-YEAR-OLD local man who was hiding inside the trunk of a car was attempting to enter Brunei Darusalam through Limbang via the Kuala Lurah post because his passport had run out of pages was fined a sum of $3,000 fine or face six months' imprisonment in default at the Bandar Magistrate's Court yesterday.

Presiding Magistrate Awangku Shahyzul bin Pengiran Rahman was told by Deputy Public Prosecutor Emily Goh that the defendant, Mohammad Adi Affizi bin Abdul Latif committed the crime by hiding himself in a vehicle with two Malaysians on board.

Upon entering Brunei, the Malaysian driver presented two Malaysian passports to the immigration officer who was on duty. However, during customs inspection, custom officers found the defendant hiding inside the trunk.

Investigations showed that the driver was actually the defendant's mother and that the defendant had successfully exited Brunei via the Kuala Lurah Control Post to Limbang without presenting his valid passport on the same day around 10.30am. Further investigations showed that the defendant did not present his passport because it had run out of pages.

The defendant was charged under Section 3(2) of the Passports Act, Chapter 146, punishable under Section 12(2) of the same Act for failing to present his passport while exiting and entering Brunei. The mother, Alus binti Aman, 43 who was named the second defendant in the case, shall face another charge in another mention of the case at a later date fixed by the magistrate. She admitted that she knew that her son had travelled in and out of Brunei without a valid passport and because of it she had to assist her son in the case. Both defendants have no previous convictions on record.

Source:
@BRUDIRECT.COM

by BruDirect.com

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