Albani (centre) escorted to prison after the proceeding.
KOTA KINABALU: A 60-year-old Filipino was jailed 15 years for robbing a businessman of RM150,000 cash using an M16 and a pistol.
Sessions Court Judge Ainul Shahrin Mohamed imposed the sentence on Albani Sarail, today, after he pleaded guilty to the charge when his case came up for trial.
He had committed the offence together with four others who are still at large, at Pulau Pasir Putih waters in Kudat between 1am and 3am on May 25, 2010.
Albani had robbed one Chong Chi Kong, 55, of the money using the weapons, which was an offence under Section 395/397 of the Penal Code.
The indictment provides for a jail term of up to 20 years and whipping, upon conviction.
In mitigation, Albani who was not represented prayed leniency of jail sentence of not more than 11 years.
He said that he is old and has ten children and 27 grandchildren, who he wished to see all of them.
However, Deputy public prosecutor Rustam Sanip urged the court to impose a deterrent sentence on the grounds that Albani had committed a serious offence which involved the use of heavy weapons to rob the victim of RM150,000.
Rustam also highlighted that Albani is currently serving another sentence of 11 years’ jail for committing a similar offence.
The court ordered Albani to serve the jail sentence consecutively with the 11 years.
Based on the facts, a skipper namely Hajir and 17 crew members were on a vessel which belonged to Chong, on the said day.
Suddenly, five men, including the accused, armed with M16 and pistols went on the vessel and shot three times into the air.
One of the five men with masks later identified as Albani then asked half million ringgit from Hajir but the amount reduced to RM150,000 after a negotiation.
Hajir then contacted Chong and told that the group of men asked money from him and took Hajir and crew members as hostages.
Chong then directed his worker to hand over the money which was in Ringgit Malaysia and Peso to the group of men, inside the vessel.
After Albani received the money, he and his four accomplices fled the vessel.
Albani was then arrested on June 17, 2013 and Hajir had identified Albani as the person who asked for the money inside the vessel during an identification parade.