Malaysian police red-faced over shocking escapes

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The New Paper
Wednesday, Dec 12, 2012

PETALING JAYA - Three suspected criminals escaped - two from a moving police van and one outside the Petaling Jaya Sessions Court - in two incidents that have embarrassed the police.

Two Colombian men and a Zambian woman escaped last Tuesday, right under the noses of policemen escorting them to the Sessions Court, reported the Malay Mail.

The two men, facing charges for possession of stolen property, were found missing from the van they were in only when it arrived at the court almost two hours after it left from police headquarters.

The woman - who was to be charged with drug trafficking, which carries the death penalty - reportedly dashed off after the van arrived in the court compound.

The way the suspects escaped from police custody has raised questions and led to a high-level Selangor police investigation.

So far, three policemen, who were taking the Colombian men and eight other suspects to the court in the police van, have been suspended from duty and are being investigated for negligence.

No action has yet been taken against the police escorts in the case involving the Zambian woman.

Police sources said the two escapes were "dubious" and "too easy" and investigations are under way to ascertain if police personnel were involved.

 

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Manhunt launched

A manhunt has been launched to recapture the escapees, said Selangor police chief Datuk Tun Hisan Tun Hamzah, who refused to respond to questions, saying investigations were in progress.

In the first escape, the two Colombians, Sana Bria Floria Jorge Luis, 22, and Martin Rodriguez Yerson David, 26, and eight others were being taken in a police van from the Shah Alam police headquarters to the Sessions Court at about 9.40am.

Among the detainees were three other Colombians, all suspected burglars. All the suspects were chain handcuffed to one other.

Serdang police entrusted the duty of transporting them with three police corporals, including the driver. They reached the Sessions Court at 11.20am and discovered that two men were missing.

Sources noted that it was difficult for someone chain-cuffed in the van with eight others to make such a simple getaway.

The almost two-hour delay before they were discovered they were missing is also questionable, said the sources.

In the second incident, Zambian Betty Chilleshe, 37, was taken from the PJ police headquarters to the same court in a police vehicle at about 11am.

On arrival, the woman was ushered into the court compound with other suspects and their handcuffs were removed.

Suddenly, Chilleshe, who was described as big-sized, was reported to have dashed off towards the exit and escaped.

The policemen could not explain why they had uncuffed her in the compound of the court instead of taking her into the courthouse handcuffed.

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