WA: Three years' jail for people smuggler

AAP General News (Australia)
04-03-2009
WA: Three years' jail for people smuggler

By Aleisha Preedy

PERTH, April 3 AAP - An Indonesian fisherman who accepted a payment from people smugglers
has been sentenced to at least three years' jail for trafficking 14 people to Australia.

Amos Ndolo, 58, pleaded guilty in the District Court in Perth on Friday to illegally
transporting 14 Afghans into Australia on October 6 last year.

He received a maximum five-year sentence with a non-parole period of three years.

The court was told Ndolo was the captain of a sinking vessel intercepted by the Australian
navy as it arrived at an offshore storage rig in the Timor Sea.

The three Indonesian crewmen and 14 passengers were then taken to Christmas Island
for questioning.

The court was told the passengers had admitted paying a smuggling ring between $US10,000
and $US12,000 ($A14,000 and $A17,000) to travel from Afghanistan to Malaysia and then
to Australia.

Ndolo was found with just over 3 million rupiah, which will be surrendered to the federal
government as part of his sentence.

Judge Catherine O'Brien said while Ndolo was a small player in a highly-organised people
smuggling ring his sentence would serve as a deterrent.

"Without minimising the offence and your part in it, it would seem you are a victim
of the despicable recruiting of poor fishermen to take risky journeys across the seas
for a small amount of money," Ms O'Brien said.

"(This is) compared to the huge profits received by the organisers.

"It is important for the court to deal strongly with everyone who plays a part in bringing
illegal immigrants to Australia."

Through his interpreter, Ndolo told the court he was sorry and accepted the sentence.

The maximum penalty for people smuggling is 20 years' jail.

In the only other recent sentencing of a people smuggler, an Indonesian boat captain
last month received a maximum six-year sentence for trying to bring 12 asylum seekers
to Australia.

The man, Adbul Hamid, 35, was also granted a three-year non-parole period.

AAP ap/was/ht

KEYWORD: NDOLO

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