BY Fadley Faisal
Two local fishermen were ordered by the Magistrate’s Court to settle fines for violating the Merchant Shipping Order after they pleaded guilty to the charges on Wednesday.
Senior Magistrate Hajah Ervy Sufitriana binti Haji Abdul Rahman ordered vessel master Jeffri bin Haji Dullah, 47, to settle a BND10,000 fine or risk serving 10 months’ jail in default of payment.
Crew member Muhammad Nursalam bin Jaya, 28, was ordered to settle a BND5,000 fine, or face five months’ jail in default of payment.
Prosecutor Nurul Husna Aqilah binti Haji Abidin revealed in court that a joint enforcement agencies’ maritime patrol spotted the Brunei-registered boat within 500 metres of the Safety Zone of an offshore oilfield installation at 9.56am on September 20, 2020.
The patrol approached the boat and boarded it only to find fresh catch and fishing equipment.
The duo was arrested and the boat was towed to the Kuala Belait Marine Police Sub-Base for investigation.
-- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin