JOHOR BARU: A couple, believed to be hired by a Singapore-based loan shark to commit arson, have been arrested for a house fire that killed a 72-year-old woman in Kampung Bukit Siput, Segamat, on July 25.
Johor police chief Comm Ab Rahaman Arsad said the Segamat District Police Headquarters operations centre received an emergency call regarding a fire involving five houses at about 4.30am.
"Investigations by the police and the Johor Fire and Rescue Department found elements of arson.
"Johor police formed a special task force for the investigation and arrested the couple, a 21-year-old man and his 19-year-old girlfriend, in Subang Jaya, Selangor, a week after the incident.
"Interrogations revealed that a loan shark syndicate in Singapore hired them to carry out criminal intimidation by setting fire to the house of a borrower who had failed to repay a loan," he said in a press conference at the Johor Police Contingent Headquarters on Wednesday (Aug 13).
Ab Rahaman said the couple were further suspected of actively committing mischiefs in Johor and Selangor since July, receiving RM1,000 per job.
"At the time of the incident, the victim was alone. She had never received any threat, and it is believed that the loan was taken out by a family member," he added.
Four investigation papers were referred to the Johor State Legal Advisor's office and have since received instructions for prosecution.
Ab Rahaman added that the male suspect will be charged at the Segamat Magistrate's Court tomorrow with nine charges under Section 304(b) of the Penal Code for causing death without intent, Section 436 for arson, and Section 507 for criminal intimidation.
The female suspect was released on police bail and will serve as a prosecution witness. – Bernama
