IPOH: Ten men, including five Indonesians, were jointly charged at the Sessions Court here with human trafficking.
The accused - Tan Ke Huat, S. Ananthan, PA Suresh, S. Sivalingam, Mohd Johan Musa, Eko Rahmadani, Erfanni, Tuah, Siprianus Nahak Lutan and Klau Norfrianus Erick - pleaded not guilty after the charge under Section 26A of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrant Act 2007, together with Section 34 of the Penal Code, was read before Judge Azizah Ahmad on Tuesday (July 25).
If convicted, the accused could be jailed up to 20 years or fined, or both.
The accused, aged between 22 and 52 years old, were said to have smuggled 35 migrants from Indonesia at an oil palm estate in Batu 10, Segari, Manjung between June 20 and 30.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Afiqah Izzati Mazlan requested for a period of two months to get statements from the migrants and to transfer the case to the High Court.
Lawyer Kashvinder Singh, who represented Ananthan, said he hoped that the Sessions Court would allow his client to be allowed bail.
He said the charge was not for an offence that is punishable by death or life imprisonment.
"We hope the court can use its discretion to allow bail, even with conditions.
"My client has asthma and was detained for more than 20 days at the Manjung police station.
"His health has deteriorated and his family had to bring medicine to him," he added.
Mohamad Khazali Yin, who represented Eko Rahmadani, said his client was married to a local and has a family.
"We have no issues in getting two sureties and any conditions set if allowed bail," he said.
Judge Azizah said the court has no jurisdiction to hear the accuseds' requests for bail.
She allowed a period of two months for management of the case and to record statements from the migrants, setting Sept 25 for mention.
