SIBU, May 31 — All police here and other outlying districts are on the alert and hunting for prison escapee Lee Ya Kieng, said Sibu police chief ACP Stanley Jonathan Ringgit.
He said the police would make use of the three roadblocks set up in Durin, Paradom, and Bawang Assan for the Movement Control Order (MCO) to track down the suspect.
“We will make use of these roadblocks to track down the suspect. Other outlying districts had been informed and have their own roadblocks too to be on the alert for him,” he told reporters today.
However, he said Lee is believed to still be hiding in Sibu and called on those who have seen the 49-year-old to contact the police immediately.
Stanley added he had yet to receive updates from police in Kapit and Sarikei.
According to him, while the escape happened around noon yesterday, the police only received a report from the prison at around 4pm.
“The prison guards made their own search first, but I already received the news before the formal report was made. I went to the prison there myself to investigate,” he said.
Stanley explained prior to the escape, Lee had been placed in a temporary isolation cell after he was suspected to be Covid-19 positive.
“While in the isolation cell, he managed to open the lock, climbed over the fence before escaping using the main road. The inmate at the next cell saw and shouted that he had escaped.”
Stanley added Lee’s swab test results have since shown he does not have Covid-19.
The police chief said there could have been carelessness at the prison, which led to the suspect’s escape.
He said the case will be investigated under Section 223/224 Penal Code for negligently allowing a prisoner to escape and escaping from lawful custody.
Lee was sentenced to a total of 13 years in prison for several drug offences and was due to be released on Feb 27, 2031. — Borneo Post
