JOHOR BARU, April 14 — A senior police officer and three personnel have been arrested for investigations into an extortion case involving a factory manager in Batu Pahat recently, said Johor police chief Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay.
He said the four suspects who are from the Batu Pahat district police headquarters were arrested on April 8 at about 6.15pm after the factory manager lodged a report.
“Initial investigations found that the suspects had allegedly asked the victim for RM1,500 as inducement for action not to be taken against the Bangladeshi employees at the premises.
“The victim handed over the money to the suspects before they left the scene without taking any action against the foreign employees.
“Following that, police initiated arrests against the policemen involved, including the senior officer, after a report was lodged by the victim,” said Ayob Khan at a media conference at the Johor police contingent headquarters here today.
He was accompanied by Johor police’s Integrity and Standards Compliance Department (JIPS) chief Assistant Commissioner Ng Siew Hiang and other senior officers.
The suspects, aged between 26 and 46, have since been remanded for a day.
The case is being investigated under Section 384 of the Penal Code for extortion that carries a maximum jail term of 10 years or a fine or whipping, or any two such punishments upon conviction.
Ayob Khan revealed that investigators were in the midst of completing the investigation papers that will be referred to the Deputy Public Prosecutor for further action.
He said based on the current probe, it was learnt that the suspects had been involved in similar extortion cases in the district.
Ayob Khan believed that the suspects have been running the extortion racket for some time due to the fact that the previous information did not reach the state police contingent headquarters (IPK).
“They have become like door-to-door tax collectors going from factory-to-factory to extort money.
“This time round, the victim came to make a report so we took action,” he said.
Ayob Khan added that police are also investigating whether a report was made against the district police chief for inaction as the four were believed to be involved in such activities for a long time.
He admitted that the case has tarnished the image of the state police.
“This is to cleanse the police institution off individuals who conspire with criminal syndicates or criminals,” said Ayob Khan, adding that such initiatives showed that the Johor police can take internal action on their own to correct the police force from within by being firm.
