SEREMBAN, April 2 — A military corporal has been detained for allegedly extorting money from 24 candidates who had just arrived in Mambau, Port Dickson to attend interview as cadets last Friday.

Negri Sembilan deputy police chief SAC Muhamad Zaki Harun said the 29-year-old suspect was picked at his home here at about 3am yesterday.

He said all the candidates had lodged reports at the Port Dickson Police Station the same day after the suspect forced them to hand over their cash and mobile phones.     

"They were then being taken to Petronas station at the 4th Mile, Port Dickson and abandoned there,” said Muhamad Zaki when contacted here today.

He said police were now closing in on the suspect’s four other accomplices, three of whom are ex-servicemen. 

The case is being investigated under Section 395 of the Penal Code for gang robbery.  

Prior to this, a report claiming that a military man in uniform extorting money from 24 male candidates went viral on social media. — Bernama