| Fadley Faisal |

THE Magistrate’s Court yesterday handed a fine of BND38,700 each to the owner of a local company and its managing director for importing and possessing meat products without holding the required Halal import and export permits and permit from the exporting country, and selling these products to another company.

Agongmas Trading Company, represented by 67-year-old proprietor Haji Abdullah bin Haji Metussin and 37-year-old Managing Director Sharoon Fadzillah bin Haji Abdullah, were each ordered to settle fines of BND38,700 or serve 18 months’ jail in default of payment.

Magistrate Hajah Ervy Sufitriana binti Haji Abdul Rahman determined that Deputy Public Prosecutor Danial Kifrawi has proven the defendants guilty of the three charges – which they denied at the start of the case – beyond reasonable doubt.

The defendants were charged with being involved in the illegal acquisition and sale of 148 sacks of beef lungs amounting to 2,216.55 kilogrammes, 330 boxes of chicken wings of 15 kilogrammes each, and 185 boxes of chicken tails of 10 kilogrammes each.

It was found that the defendants sold 150 cartons of beef lungs amounting to 2,210.5 kilogrammes to Karya Budi Sdn Bhd.

The offences were committed during the first quarter of 2011. The defendants were represented by lawyer Ahmad Zakaria Mohammad during the trial and by lawyer Rozaiman Abdul Rahman during sentencing.

The Magistrate also ordered for Agongmas Trading Company’s Halal import permit to be cancelled, and for the permit to not be issued to the company, the company’s affiliated family members or any other companies the defendants have shares in.