BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

A MAN was ordered to serve 12 months in jail yesterday after he was unable to pay the $137,000 fine for possession of untaxed cigarettes.

Defendant Roslan Mansur was convicted on April last year following the trial over the charge of possession of over 500 cartons of undeclared cigarettes.

He was given a six-month grace period to pay the fines.

The magistrates’ court granted a stay of execution pending the defendant’s appeal before the High Court.

The appeal was dismissed when the case was heard in February before the Chief Justice.

In the appeal verdict, the chief justice upheld the magistrates’ court decision for the defendant’s conviction and did not make any variation to the grace period or amount in payment.

During the proceedings yesterday, in view that Roslan has not made payment throughout the six-month grace period, chief magistrate Muhammed Faisal PDJLD DSP Hj Kefli ordered the defendant to serve the in-default 12 months in jail with immediate effect.

The Brunei Times