Inspector rape case: Three Mongolian women placed in shelter, not lockup, say police

KUALA LUMPUR: Police have placed three Mongolian women, two of whom were allegedly raped by a police inspector, at a shelter, says Comm Datuk Huzir Mohamed.

The Bukit Aman CID director said the two alleged rape victims, along with their friend - who helped translate for police - were not placed in lockup as they were placed under the Interim Protection Order (IPO).

"Under the Anti-Trafficking In Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (Atipsom) Act, they are placed under the IPO.

"They are placed under the IPO while we are investigating and verifying that they are indeed victims.

"If the courts decide that they are victims, they will be placed under the protection order," he told a press conference in Bukit Aman on Wednesday (April 15).

Whoever exploited the women will be detained and prosecuted, he added.

He was responding on a report in Malaysiakini where lawyer Mathew Thomas Philip alleged that his clients - the three Mongolian women - were detained after they lodged a police report in relation to the rape.

"I think there is a misunderstanding. They were not detained but instead put under the IPO.

"Instead of a lockup, they are placed at a shelter home pending the Atipsom investigation," Comm Huzir said.

Asked whether police investigating any elements of deceit on the rape report, Comm Huzir said police are investigating all angles to determine the truth.

It was reported that a police inspector was detained on Sunday (April 12) after a report was lodged that he had allegedly raped the two Mongolian women.

He had allegedly done so after stopping the duo at a roadblock.