KUALA TERENGGANU: Another Indonesian pirate was jailed for 16 years by the Sessions Court today, after pleading guilty to robbing an oil tanker last month.
In passing the sentence, Judge Azman Mustaffa also ordered the accused, identified only as Syafri, 46, to be given three strokes of rotan.
Syafri, together with 10 others who were earlier charged, and 2 others still at large, allegedly robbed MT MGT-1 that was carrying RM7 million worth of diesel in the South China Sea.
The 13, allegedly used knives and parang to threaten 14 of the vessel’s crew during the robbery, as it made its way towards its base in Thailand.
Syafri was charged for the crime committed off Terengganu waters at about 8.30pm on Sept 6.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Nurul Farahah Mohd Suah charged him under Section 395 read together with Section 397 of the Penal Code, which carries a jail term of up to 20 years upon conviction.
Syafri was reportedly found slumped at the Seberang Takir beach by villagers on Sept 21.
He was among the three pirates who had escaped when the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) recaptured the vessel.
Syafri is believed to have hidden aboard the tanker during the agency’s seizure and had jumped off when the tanker was being towed to shore.
He was believed to have survived for two weeks floating in the sea, before being washed ashore.
On Sept 20, the pirates’ mastermind and his nine henchmen, all Indonesians aged between 31 and 46 years, were also sentenced to 16 years prison by the same court, after they pleaded guilty to robbing the vessel.
Seven of the ten were also given five strokes of the rotan.