JOHOR BAHRU, Dec 29 — The Rohingya man, also known as ‘Long Tiger’, who escaped from a court lock-up in Johor recently, was believed to be planning to flee to a neighbouring country, said Johor police chief Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay.
He said Long Tiger, whose real name is Abdul Hamim Ab Hamid, 32, was attempting to make his way out of the country, either to Indonesia or Thailand.
“Long Tiger was re-arrested at about 3.15 pm in Sungai Petani, Kedah with a 46-year-old man, who is believed to have been harbouring the suspect.
That was Long Tiger’s escape plan to cross to Indonesia or Thailand,” he told a press conference here today.
He said Abdul Hamim’s movement from Tangkak to Sungai Petani was believed to have been assisted by two other individuals, aged 36 and 38, and the duo had helped cut his handcuff and bought him a mobile phone SIM card.
“The two accomplices were nabbed in Batu Pahat at about 3 am today. One of them has previous records related to crime and drugs. Police also seized a handcuff and iron cutter,” he said, adding that there would be more arrests after this.
Earlier, Abdul Hamim and three individuals were remanded for four days beginning today until January 1 to assist investigations under Section 223/224 of the Penal Code.
Following the incident, Ayob Khan said Johor police have opened a disciplinary investigation paper on three police officers, namely Tangkak district police chief, Tangkak police station chief and a public order inspector from Tangkak district police headquarters (IPD) for negligence.
On December 17, Ayob Khan was reported as saying that four police personnel, – a sergeant and three corporals, who were responsible for the suspect’s custody in the Tangkak Magistrate’s Court, have been suspended for negligence and the case was being investigated under Section 223 of the Penal Code.
Ayob Khan added that an investigation paper under Section 203 of the Penal Code was opened against a police officer with the rank of Senior Assistant Commissioner (SAC) over negligence for leaking internal information relating to directives from the Johor Police chief.
In the meantime, Ayob Khan said police are investigating a Facebook account owner of Jebat JD who shared photographs of Long Tiger being arrested by the police yesterday.
“We have identified the account owner who is a 47-year-old former policeman from Klang, Selangor. He is being investigated under Section 233 of the Communication and Multimedia Act 1998, “ he said, adding similar action was taken against a 30-year-old corporal for committing a similar offence.
Abdul Hamim fled from the Tangkak Magistrate’s Court at 11.55 am on December 15 while waiting for his case under Section 388 of the Penal Code to begin.
He also has other cases pending, including for rape.
— Bernama
