Manshor Hat, 49, pleaded guilty when the charges were read out to him before judge Zanol Rashid Hussain.

On the first count, he was fined RM50,000 or four months’ imprisonment for illegally keeping 51 of the endangered species in an enclosure in Kampung Kubang Airang, Mukim Sungai Laka, Changlun, at noon on Dec 30, 2016.

On the second count, he was fined RM30,000 or three months’ imprisonment for illegally keeping 35 immature pangolins in an enclosure at the same place, time and date.

On the third count, he was fined RM30,000 or three months’ imprisonment for illegally keeping 23 female pangolins in an enclosure at the same place, time and date.

He was fined RM10,000 or two months’ imprisonment for ill-treating the animals.

Manshor Hat, who was unrepresented, paid the fines.

The prosecution was conducted by Department of Wildlife and National Parks deputy public prosecutor Nur Ainaa Ridzwan.