Foreigners Behind Bars For Overstaying
By Malai FadleyRizal

Bandar Seri Begawan - A 37-year-old Pakistani was sent to jail for three months when he pleaded guilty to remaining unlawfully in the country for over a year before the Magistrates’ Court yesterday.

Doulat Khan Khan Jan was arrested at a rented house in Kg Kota Batu when he failed to produce his passport to a group of Immigration enforcement personnel who raided the place two days ago.

Immigrations prosecutor Moharefandi Hj Md Tahir told the court that the defendant was believed to have overstayed.

Presiding Magistrate Lailatul Zubaidah further heard from the prosecution that the defendant was brought back to the personnel’s headquarters for further investigations.

He had arrived in Brunei sometime in May 2001 on a social visit pass which was extended a few times and Doulat was told to leave Brunei on August 28 last year.

He was also given a fourteen-days grace period to return home to Pakistan.

However, the prosecution said that he chose to stay in the country, thus remaining unlawfully for a total of 399 days.

Meanwhile, an Indian labourer was jailed yesterday for four months after pleading guilty to the same offence.

Ravi Manikadevar, 35, was arrested by Immigration officers at a rented house in Kg Bunut on the night of September 30.

His employment pass was found to have expired in 2000.

Prosecutor Moharefandi further explained that the defendant engaged employment with a local company in 1995 and went back to India later.

Then, he came here again in 1998 to work with Usaha Tasbih company.

Upon completion of his contract with the company, he did not go back to his hometown and had remained unlawfully for three years and six months. -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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