Boat Captain, 13 Crew Get Jail Terms
By Rol Ezam and Malai FadleyRizal

Bandar Seri Begawan - A 43-year-old Thai registered boat captain was sentenced to six months' imprisonment while 13 of his Cambodian crew members were sentenced to three months behind bars by the Bandar Magistrate's Court yesterday after pleading guilty to a charge under the Fisheries Act.

The captain, Prasin Patsada, 43, charged with fishing by entering Brunei fishery limits, was fined $30,000 or in default three months' jail for the offence.

He was additionally charged with the 13 defendants for using an unlicensed trawling net to catch fish in Brunei waters.

The court sentenced the defendant and Hong Horn, 22, Chob Soka, 21, Ngan Kun, 21, Toeum Somnang, 21, Sat Sary, 17, Ham Ho, 22, Loeurm Soeurng, 24, Lorm Oeurm, 25, Ho Sin, 27, Sun Rorn, 28, Hol Vong, 25, Muy Torn, 26, and New. Kim Yoeurt, 26, to three months in jail.

The sentence against the boatmaster was ordered to run consecutively after he failed to pay the fine.

The Prosecuting Officer Joe Chan Jin Yuh told the court yesterday the fishing vessel boarded by the defendants bore a mark 'SF2-1243C'. It was sighted by personnel from the Marine Police and officers from the Fisheries Department at Latitude 05 degree 13' 44" North and Longitude 114 degree 06' 67" East on November 2 this year.

The position of the sighting was approximately 38 Nut from Brunei shores and thus within the territorial waters of Brunei.

They were found fishing using a trawling net from the vessel. Police investigations found the vessel is Thai registered and chartered by a Malaysian company.  -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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