KOTA KINABALU, Jan 6 — A Japanese body builder mistook policemen as being in cahoots with gang of robbers including a prostitute who robbed him of RM2,000 at a red light district here.

Takashi Ishihara, a 34-year-old who is the Asian Body Builder Federation vice-president was in Kampung Air at 3pm yesterday when he was approached by a woman, who complimented him on his body.

“After chatting to each other, he followed her to the first floor of a nearby shop-lot where four men were already waiting for him.

“They spoke to him but he could not understand them, and they took his wallet off him before leaving him in the room,” said Kota Kinabalu district police chief Assistant commissioner M. Chandra.

The gang took the money in his wallet: US$65 (RM283.40), RM1,400 and Yen10, 000 (RM367.60).

Ishihara then followed the gang down, repeatedly asking for his money back, but was ignored until a scuffle broke out.

Noticing the tension, a narcotics department officer, Jaffridin Othman, who happened to be in the area conducting a raid, approached the scuffle and introduced himself, while showing his police badge.

“Due to the thick Japanese accent in the complainant’s English, there was a breakdown in communication, and the policemen could not understand his situation, and advised him to lodge a police report,” said Chandra.

But upon arrival at the city police station, Ishihara saw the same group of policemen there, which led him to assume they were in cahoots with the robbers.

It was around then that he posted his experience on his Facebook profile, along with photos of the incident, claiming the robbers had taken his money and police had helped them, even asking him to delete photos taken during the scuffle.

The photos were quickly shared among Sabahans, with hundreds of shares within the first few hours.

Following the posting, a friend advised Ishihara to return to the police station to lodge a report.

Once the report was lodged at 9.40pm, police investigating the case picked up five suspects between 12.55am and 3am this morning.

The suspects include a 29-year-old woman, and four men aged beween 20 and 34 years. Three of the suspects were arrested at Deleeton hotel in Asia City and two were at Grace Court apartments in Sembulan.

Chandra said that Japanese Consulate were also informed of the matter and commended the police for solving the case promptly and with professionalism.