Fadley Faisal
A 46-year-old man was ordered to pay a fine of BND5,000 after he pleaded guilty to trespassing into an offshore platform’s safety perimeter while fishing with his two children.
Muhammad Yousri bin Awang Tarsat pleaded guilty to the charge of crossing into the boundary, 500 metres away from the offshore platform, on April 26, 2022 using a fibreglass boat. He faces five months’ jail if he defaults on the fine.
Prosecutor Syazwani binti Jumat said the defendant was sighted breaching the safety perimeter at 10 that morning by a Royal Brunei Air Force unmanned aerial surveillance drone. The drone controllers alerted the Marine Police, Royal Brunei Land Forces, the Fisheries Department and the Maritime and Port Authority conducting a joint patrol in nearby waters.
The defendant had tied his boat to a fishing platform and caught a fish, before being intercepted by the patrol after leaving the area.
Magistrate Syaffina binti Shahif said the public has been reminded “time and time again” to stay away from the safety perimeters of offshore installations. She said the offence called for a deterrent sentence.
