Mastermind behind brutal Johor murder held in Thailand

KUALA LUMPUR: The alleged mastermind behind the brutal murder of a man at a petrol station in Johor Baru has finally been caught in Thailand, says Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun.

He said they were working towards bringing the suspect back to Malaysia soon.

“We will cooperate with our counterparts in Thailand in their investigations,” he told reporters at a buka puasa event at Bukit Aman.

On Dec 17 last year, a 44-year-old man known as “Ah Chiu” was stabbed and run over by a white BMW car at the Taman Pelangi petrol station.

A video clip of the incident went viral on social media.

According to Bernama the suspect in his 40s, with a large tattoo on the right arm, was caught by a team of Thai police officers in Chaiyaphum province, about 260km northeast of Bangkok yesterday morning.

Royal Malaysia Police assistant liaison officer in Thailand Supt Ridzuan Abdul Aziz said the man is the most sought-after suspect in the murder case.

His arrest follows a request for assistance from Malaysia several months ago and an extensive manhunt by authorities in both countries.

Thai police are expected to have a media conference soon to announce the arrest and details surrounding it.

They will also explain issues on the man’s impending extradition to Malaysia.

In an interview with Bernama in January, Bukit Aman’s CID director Comm Datuk Seri Wan Ahmad Najmuddin Mohd disclosed that several suspects involved in the murder case fled and went into hiding in Thailand.

The police, he said, had sought cooperation from Thai police to track down the suspects and mastermind.

During the interview, Wan Ahmad expressed confidence that the police would be able to bring them back to Malaysia to face justice.

The police, said Wan Ahmad, obtained the suspects’ photos and records of their entry into Thailand.

The police had earlier arrested several men and women suspected to be linked with the case.

Two suspects were also charged in January.