KUALA LUMPUR – Police have denied that the suspect in the bodyguards’ assault case received special treatment when he was not handcuffed or wore lockup attire when brought to the Kuala Lumpur Courts Complex on Friday.
On Thursday, the man was charged at the Klang magistrates’ court on several charges, including assaulting and threatening the same victims.
Dang Wangi police chief Mohamad Zainal Abdullah said the man was not under police custody when he was brought to court, as he was granted police bail before being handed over to the South Klang police district headquarters.
“For these reasons, police cannot arrest the suspect again and handcuff him for a similar offence just for the purpose of bringing him to the Kuala Lumpur court.
“As such, there is no issue of the suspect receiving special treatment because the law has provided that no one is to be arrested on a similar offence as stipulated under Article 7(2) of the federal constitution,” he said in a statement today.
As to the suspect’s lack of lockup attire, Zainal said police had adhered to the set procedures under the Inspector-General of Police’s Standing Orders (Perintah Tetap Ketua Polis Negara A118), which says that a prisoner being brought to court should wear the clothes that he was wearing when he was arrested, except when the clothes are evidence.
“Police also urge the public not to manipulate the issue as it can cause misunderstanding, confusion, and give an inaccurate impression, which can affect police image and reputation in the eyes of the community,” he said in the statement, which was issued following a viral article and photo of the man in plainclothes and not in handcuffs while being escorted to court. – Bernama, April 25, 2021
