JOHOR BAHRU, June 4 — Police have arrested 10 suspects in a series of raids to assist investigations into the case of a man being hacked to death in front of a restaurant in Pekan Nanas, Pontian on May 21.
Johor Acting Police Chief DCP Hoo Chuan Huat said acting on information, a police team from the Crime Suppression, Vice and Gambling Division (D7) and Special Investigation Division (D9), Johor Police Contingent Headquarters (IPK) together with the Criminal Investigation Division, Pontian District Police Headquarters arrested all the male suspects, aged 18 to 28, around Pontian and Batu Pahat from May 21 to Tuesday.
“We also seized the vehicles, clothes, face masks and weapons used in the incident,” he said in a statement last night.
Hoo said checks found that six suspects had criminal records and two others had criminal records and narcotics, while a preliminary urine screening test found that one suspect tested positive for benzo-type drugs.
He said six suspects were remanded for 15 days starting May 21, one was remanded for seven days starting May 29, two were remanded for seven days starting June 1, while another was remanded for seven days starting June 3, under Section 117 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
The investigation papers were then referred to the state Public Prosecutor’s Office yesterday, and the charges against the seven suspects and five others who are still at large under Section 302 of the Penal Code were read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code.
Hoo said the three suspects were released and made prosecution witnesses on bond under Section 118 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
“Based on the investigation conducted, we believe the motive of the incident is related to elements of a secret society group, including the recruitment of new members,” he said.
Therefore, he advised the public, especially young people, not to get involved with secret societies and to channel any criminal information to the nearest police station and the Johor Police hotline 019-2792095 or the Johor IPK operations room line 07-2212999.
Earlier, the media reported that a 22-year-old local man was found dead in a pool of blood in front of a food and beverage shop in Pekan Nanas, Pontian.
The victim, who suffered serious injuries to his hands and feet, was later confirmed dead at the scene, and the case is being investigated under Section 302 of the Penal Code.
— BERNAMA
