Two cops held over gang robbery probe

KUALA TERENGGANU: A police officer with the rank of ASP and a sergeant were arrested on suspicion of being involved in a robbery case, involving a loss of RM5,150, at Gong Badak, near here, on Feb 1.

Terengganu police chief, Datuk Mazli Mazlan, said that the 36year-old sergeant was arrested on Saturday (Feb 3) after the police received a report from the victim, who was a civil servant, on the same day, while the 42-year-old senior officer was arrested the next day.

He said that the 34-year-old victim, in his report, claimed to have been forcibly taken by the two suspects to a petrol station in Gong Badak, to withdraw RM5,000 from an ATM before handing over another RM150 to both suspects.

“The frightened victim had to follow the instructions of the two suspects, who were on duty at the Kuala Terengganu District Police Headquarters (IPD), and make the transaction, before handing over the money to the suspect,” he said in a statement yesterday.

According to Mazli, as a result of the investigation, through photo identification and closed circuit television (CCTV) recordings, it was found that the two suspects are police officers.

He said that the sergeant was remanded for a week, while the senior police officer was remanded for four days, to assist in the investigation under Section 395 of the Penal Code for gang robbery.

“The Terengganu police view seriously any involvement of its officers and personnel in criminal cases. Appropriate investigations in accordance with the provisions of the law will be carried out, so that they can be brought to court,” he said, adding that both suspects had been suspended.