ESCAPE OF SUSPECTED DRUG TRAFFICKER ‘ Rogue cops’ nabbed
GEORGE TOWN: Ei ght policemen have been arrested f or allegedly allowing a suspected drug trafficker to escape from custody on Sunday.
The eight, comprising a sergeant, three corporals and four lance corporals aged between 20 and 45, were yesterday remanded for four days. Also remanded was a fisherman who is believed to be involved in the escape of the suspect, identified as Anuar Ayat, 43.
Penang police chief Datuk Chuah Ghee Lye said the policemen were believed to have received an undisclosed amount of money to arrange for three suspects to leave the lock-up, purportedly to go to the Balik Pulau Hospital for treatment.
“But five policemen took the suspects in the van to visit their families,” he said, adding that they went to a condominium and two homestays in Sungai Ara.
“Closed- ci r cuit t el evision (CCTV) camera footage obtained from the condo and the homestays showed the suspects were not handcuffed,” he t old a press conference yesterday.
He said the policemen later took the suspects to an undisclosed location in Sungai Nibong Besar where Anuar was t o meet a fisherman to plan an escape by sea.
The other two suspects, however, did not run off like Anuar, and are back in police custody.
Chuah said the policemen later lodged a police report claiming that Anuar had escaped after the van stopped at Relau due to brake