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 ©New Straits Times (Used by
permission)
by Lee Shi-Ian
KUALA LUMPUR: The Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) is investigating whether the
arrest of a Johor-based businessman was an "abuse of power" by the police.
The businessman was banished to Jeli, Kelantan, last
Wednesday.
The suspect was earlier cleared of any involvement in illegal gambling,
prostitution or drug activities by the ACA and the secret society, vice and
gaming division of Bukit Aman federal police headquarters in June.
ACA sources said the allegation of abuse of power was one of the factors the ACA
was looking into as it probes the circumstances of the suspect’s arrest.
Despite being cleared, the businessman was picked up by federal police
commercial crime officers on Aug 1 in Johor Baru for alleged gambling
activities.
He was then brought to Kuala Lumpur and detained at the
Sungai Buloh prison but as his lawyers were about to file a habeas corpus
against his arrest, the 55-year-old was banished to Jeli under the Restricted
Residence Act 1933.
Commercial Crime director Commissioner Datuk Ramli Yusuff, however, defended the
arrest and said any branch of the police force was empowered to make arrests. He
declined to elaborate and added: "If you want more details, get it from the
(suspect’s) lawyers."
The sources said the ACA had also questioned the suspect and recorded his
statement before he was cleared of a bribery allegation.
"This businessman’s arrest is not related to any criminal activities under the
jurisdiction of the commercial crime division. This why the ACA has opened a
file on this case," a source said.
It is learnt shortly after the businessman was cleared by the secret society,
vice and gaming division and the ACA, commercial crime officers approached the
Internal Security Ministry, which issued an arrest and detention warrant on July
5 under the Restricted Residence Act 1933.
This was done as the businessman was actively involved in organising illegal 4D
and lottery activities in Johor Baru.
Lawyer N. Sivananthan, who is representing the businessman, said there were
irregularities in the arrest of his client.
"He was already cleared by the police," he said, adding that his client gave
statements in Bukit Aman on three occasions before being cleared.
The businessman was at the centre of allegations posted on the Internet that he
had paid RM2 million to Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan.
The payment was allegedly a bribe for Musa to release three detainees who had
been detained under the Emergency Ordinance 1969.
However, following the ACA’s investigation and questioning of witnesses,
including the businessman, Musa and the businessman were cleared of all claims
and allegations.
Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail cleared Musa of any wrongdoing as
investigations showed certain policemen were suspected of falsifying statements.
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Circular No 297/2008
The basic institutions of my country rotteth, oops, rots.
Cry, my beloved country.
Stephen Tan Ban Cheng