Apex court rejects bail bid by contractor facing migrant smuggling charges

A contractor who is facing charges of migrant smuggling and receiving proceeds from the illegal activity lost his bid in the Federal Court to be released on bail pending his trial.

A three-man bench led by Federal Court judge Vernon Ong Lam Kiat rejected Samat Yamin's application for bail after ruling that Section 13 of the Security Offences (Special Measures) (Sosma) Act 2012, the section restricting the granting of bail to certain accused persons, is constitutional.