RI seaman gets 7 years for people-smuggling<\/p>\n
PERTH, Australia (AFP): An Indonesian seaman was jailed for
\nseven years on Friday for attempting to smuggle 282 illegal
\nimmigrants, the biggest group ever caught by Australian
\nauthorities, earlier this year.<\/p>\n
The seven-year sentence, one of the toughest handed out to
\npeople-smugglers by an Australian court, sent a clear message to
\nthose thinking of becoming involved in such a business, judge
\nDavid Charters said in the District Court of Western Australia.<\/p>\n
Wira Cita, 27, of Jakarta, pleaded guilty three days earlier
\nto people-smuggling in February.<\/p>\n
He had been in custody since being arrested by Australian
\nfederal police, who intercepted a boat crewed by him and another
\nman off Christmas Island with 282 illegal immigrants on board.<\/p>\n
The group risked treacherous seas for two days to reach the
\nisland.<\/p>\n
Defense lawyer Rodney Keeley told the court Cita lived in
\nJakarta and was unemployed for about three years when a man
\noffered him the chance to take a boat to Australia.<\/p>\n
He was paid Rp 1 million (about US$120) in advance and would
\nhave received a total of Rp 8 million for the job.<\/p>\n
Keeley said the money might not be regarded by Australians as
\nenough to justify the difficult voyage or the possible
\nconsequences. For Cita, however, with a wife and young child to
\nsupport, it was an attractive offer.<\/p>\n
The court heard that since last July, courts in Western
\nAustralia dealt with 63 crew members from 18 boats which brought
\na total of 1,200 illegal immigrants, mainly from the Middle East,
\nto Australia.<\/p>\n
Charters warned Cita at the earlier hearing that he could
\nexpect a heavy penalty because of the big number of people on his
\nboat.<\/p>\n
Jail terms for fishermen previously convicted of bringing boat
\npeople into Australia have mainly ranged between three years and
\nfour years.<\/p>\n
Cita will have to serve a minimum of three and a half years
\nbefore he is eligible for parole.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ri-seaman-gets-7-years-for-people-smuggling-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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