QuickCheck: Was an OKU robbed in Sabah when responding to an online job offer?

PEOPLE with disabilities (OKU) in Malaysia face many challenges, one of them being seeking consistent employment. With the job market being what it is, as such it is only logical that many would try to find jobs online - including OKU.

In these situations, there are unfortunately those who would see them as an easy target for crime; it was claimed that such a case took place recently in Sabah, with an OKU being robbed when he met a person who responded to his search for work on social media.

Did this happen as claimed?

Verdict:

TRUE

Sabah Criminal Investigation Department (CID) chief Asst Comm Azmi Abd Rahim confirmed this, and said that three men had been arrested for robbing a 36-year-old man with speech and hearing impairments.

He said that this comes after the victim filed a police report on Tuesday (April 30) evening, adding that the 29-year-old main suspect was arrested at a Jalan Tugu, Kampung Air petrol station on Wednesday (May 1).

The suspect, who was accompanied by two other accomplices, picked up the physically challenged victim at Kampung Ketiau in Putatan near here and brought him to Kampung Kopungit here, some 12km away.

They then brandished a machete and a knife on the unsuspecting victim and relieved him of his mobile phone and bag containing other belongings.

On the arrest, ACP Azmi said that the suspect admitted to committing the robbery with two other friends.

"We also seized some items that were used during the robbery such as the car, a machete, and a knife,” he said, when contacted.

ACP Azmi said the suspect is being investigated under Section 395/397 of the Penal Code for armed gang robbery.