People smuggler tells Aussie court of bribes

A self-confessed people smuggler who helped asylum seekers get on boats to Australia has told a court of bribes paid in Indonesia. Sri Lankan-born Tamil Pathmendra Pulendren, 36, from Pendle Hill in Sydney’s west, pleaded guilty on Thursday to a charge of facilitating the arrival of unlawful people to Australia.

 

Giving evidence at his sentencing submissions before Judge Robyn Tupman in Sydney’s Downing Centre District Court, the Toongabbie spice shop operator said he arranged for 20 people to join a boat that departed Indonesia bound for Australia on June 10, 2009.

 

The boat, carrying 196 people, was intercepted by the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service near Christmas Island.

 

Pulendren said through an interpreter he was contacted by a man, known to the court as “male B”, with information about people wanting to travel to Australia.

 

“At some time did you agree to help male B with people smuggling, is that correct?” Pulendren’s lawyer Mitchell Cavanagh asked.

 

“Yes,” Pulendren replied, adding that the approach came in December 2008.

 

Male B set the price of passage, which Pulendren said he would pass on to relatives in Australia.

 

He agreed with Mr Cavanagh’s proposition that his “job was to communicate with people in Australia on behalf of male B”, who was a Sri Lankan man living somewhere in Indonesia.

 

Some of the 20 people began their trip to Australia from Sri Lanka while others started in Malaysia, making their way to Indonesia for the boat voyage, Pulendren said.

 

“(Male B) would bring those selected to Malaysia,” he said.

 

“He would pay a bribe to the Malaysian (high) commission in Indonesia and bring them over from Malaysia.”

 

He said that Tamil-speaking people had trouble getting visas for entry to Malaysia.

 

Before getting on the boat in Indonesia, Pulendren said $US500 ($A550) had to be paid and that some of that money came from Australia.

 

“That payment is for the food and the lifejackets on the boat,” he said.

 

At first, Pulendren said during his evidence that he never handled any money as part of his role in the scheme but later admitted he collected up to $US4000 ($A4396) from the Australian-based relatives of refugees.

 

“Some people couldn’t send the money direct and they gave me the money,” he said.

 

Pulendren owed male B money for his own passage to Australia and said he feared his debtors who had made threats to his family.

 

His sentencing hearing continues, The Sydney Morning Herald reports.