Drug fugitive rearrested
GEORGE TOWN: Police have rearrested a drug fugitive who escaped from custody earlier this month.
Northeast District police chief assistant commissioner Anuar Omar confirmed the arrest of Khairul Nizam Abdullah Sani, 33, following a nearly three-week manhunt.
“We arrested him about 6pm near Sungai Nibong on Saturday,” he said yesterday.
Khairul was charged with a drug offence at George Town magistrate’s court here on Sept 6. However, he fled the court complex about 5.30pm the same day.
Khairul escaped by unlocking his handcuffs with a duplicate key, evading his escorts and us- ing the sewage drain to flee from the guarded court complex.
Police discovered the duplicate key in a drain at the court.
Another man, 37, also attempted escape but was immediately detained.
Police launched a manhunt for Khairul and released his mugshot to the press, calling for public assistance to locate him.
Yesterday, deputy registrar Rehah Ismail allowed police’s application for a three-day remand.
Khairul was represented by R. Puran.
Police have yet to establish the source of the duplicate key used by Khairul, but Anuar reminded the media not to speculate while the investigation was ongoing.