Riki Rinaldi, 40, and Haji Samirudin, 36, pleaded guilty to the charge before magistrate Azureen Sahira Sauffee Afandi, who ordered both of them to serve the jail sentence from the date of their arrest, namely April 11 and 12 respectively.

Riki and Haji were charged with intentionally escaping from the custody of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA), which had detained them legally under Section 56 (1A)(a) of the Immigration Act 1959/63.

The offence was committed at Jalan Felda Inas, heading towards Sengkang, here on April 11.

The charge, under Section 224 of the Penal Code, carries a jail term of up two years or a fine or both, upon conviction.

The prosecution was conducted by deputy public prosecutor Edelynn Wong while the duo were unrepresented.

On Wednesday, Kulai police chief Tok Beng Yeow was reported to have said that the two men were among four offenders being taken to the Ledang Prison by three MMEA personnel after being sentenced to six months’ jail by the Kota Tinggi sessions court for immigration offences.

Riki and Haji reportedly freed themselves from their handcuffs, kicked open the van’s back door, jumped out and ran off into an oil palm estate.

Tok was quoted as saying that the men were found at two separate locations at Jalan Felda Inas-Kulai within 24 hours after their escape from the van.