A 33-year-old Filipina, Joyce Mina Delos Reyes Desear, has been sentenced to 28 months in prison after pleading guilty to charges of possessing a counterfeit driving license and defrauding a victim into paying for a fake license.
The court, led by Intermediate Court Judge Pengiran Masni Pengiran Haji Bahar, highlighted the severity of her actions, which were deemed a threat to national security and public safety.
Prosecutor Ruzana Adnan revealed that Desear’s forgery operation came to light on September 30, 2022, when officers from the Royal Customs and Excise Department at Brunei International Airport discovered a fake Brunei Land Transport Department driving license in her possession. The counterfeit document was intended for her husband, Md Haris bin Abdullah, and Desear admitted she knew it was fake but intended for him to use it as genuine.
The second charge involved an October 2021 incident where Desear tricked a woman into paying BND650 for what she falsely claimed was a genuine Brunei driving license. After the victim received the counterfeit document and realised it was fake, Desear blocked her communications and refused to return the money.
Desear admitted to creating five fake licenses with assistance from a cousin in the Philippines. She sent personal details to her cousin, who produced the forgeries, which were smuggled into Brunei.
During court proceedings, Desear expressed regret for her actions, citing financial hardship and her responsibility to support her two children in the Philippines. She pleaded for leniency and requested a non-custodial sentence.
The prosecution countered her plea, emphasising the dangers of counterfeit government documents. Such acts undermine the integrity of official records and could be exploited to bypass security protocols.
Judge Pengiran Masni stressed the gravity of Desear’s offenses, stating that her actions posed risks to public safety and national security, warranting a custodial sentence. – Fadley Faisal
