Cops: Don't be a vigilante and take the law into your own hands

JOHOR BARU:  The police have advised the public not to act hastily and leave it to the authorities when they come across criminal activities.

State police chief Comm Datuk Mohd Khalil Kader Mohd said that lodging a report was important as it allowed police to carry a proper investigation.

“I would like to remind everyone that you cannot take matters into your own hands,” he said Monday (May 27).

Comm Mohd Khalil was commenting on a case where two female Chinese nationals were beaten up by a group of people after allegedly scamming an elderly victim at Taman Megah Ria here recently.

He added that police would also be investigating whether the scamming incident really did occur as claimed by the victim.

“First, you claimed to be a victim but you did not lodge a police report, then you beat up the suspects, so we have to investigate you as well under Section 147 of the Penal Code for rioting.

“This is something that we will not tolerate and you cannot be a vigilante here,” he said when met after attending the state police monthly assembly here on Monday.

In a three-minute video taken on Saturday (May 25) morning, the two female suspects can be seen in a dishevelled state, sitting on the ground with their hands tied up and fruit all around them.

A piece of cardboard with Chinese wording on it, roughly translating to “hypnosis gang”, can be seen in front of the duo.

A man then approaches them and hits them with a stick, causing them to wail in pain.

More people start to approach the duo and pelt them with eggs and fruits, causing one of them to roll on the ground and wail even louder.

According to initial investigations, the suspects approached a 63-year-old victim at the market and told her that her family was in grave danger.

They offered her 'medicine' to take to avoid further misfortune where the victim was then told to go home and bring her money and jewellery for prayers, which they said would rid her and her family of bad luck.

The suspects then put the valuables into a plastic bag and told her she could only open it in two weeks in order for the "charm" to work. But when she did, all that she found was two bottles of mineral water.

The suspects would be remanded until Tuesday (May 28) and the case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.