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Singaporean boat captain sentenced to six months' probation
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Malaysian-flagged Seven Seas Conqueress was detained by the Indonesian Navy's Western Fleet Quick Response (WFQR)-4 KAL Mapor team in August 2016. (Courtesy of/Dispenarmabar)
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panel of judges at the Tanjung Pinang District Court in Riau Islands has sentenced Singaporean Ricky Tan Poh Hui, the captain of MV Seven Seas Conqueress vessel, to a six-month suspended sentence for illegally entering Indonesian waters.
Should Ricky commit a similar offence during his probation period, he would be jailed for three months, said presiding judge Jhonson FE Sirait.
Judges also ordered him to pay Rp 5 million (US$376) in fines, which can be substituted with two months’ imprisonment.
“The defendant is guilty of violating the 2008 Sailing Law and 2011 Immigration Law,” Jhonson said on Wednesday, adding that Ricky’s actions had compromised bilateral relations between Indonesia and Singapore.
The verdict is in line with what was demanded by prosecutors.
(Read also: Singapore protests Indonesia’s move to detain its vessel, passengers)
Ricky’s lawyer, Purwanto Putro, said he accepted his client’s guilty, but claimed his actions had been unintentional.
“We will avoid filing an appeal to higher courts,” he said.
Ricky was at the helm of the Malaysian-flagged vessel when he was stopped by an Indonesian navy patrol in the waters off Bintan island on Aug. 20 last year.
Three crew members and nine Singaporean passengers were released on Sept. 1, 2016, but Ricky was detained and his ship held by the Navy at its Tanjung Pinang base.
On March 15, the Singaporean Foreign Ministry issued a protest against Ricky’s detention. (bbs)
