GEORGE TOWN – Northeast district police chief Soffian Santong refuted claims from a viral tweet last night that police failed to take immediate action against an elderly babysitter who had physically abused children under her care.
“I want to clarify that the incident recorded on video happened on December 2, 2021, and a police report was lodged by another woman on December 7, 2021.
“The report stated that four children under her care were abused by the woman in the uploaded videos.
“Following that report, we remanded the suspect on December 8, 2021,” he said during a press conference at the Northeast district police headquarters at Jalan Patani here today.
In the tweet by Anne Faizuani (@cocoandbrownie) that went viral recently, she alleged that after lodging the police report, police had given the excuse that the woman in the video is mentally ill and hence had taken no action.
Soffian said that the suspect, a 53-year-old foreigner with no travel documents, was arrested at a house located at Taman Persiaran Minden, Gelugor.
The case, he said, is being investigated under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001.
“She was remanded for six days and investigated under the Immigration Act because she did not have valid travel documents.”
On December 27, 2021, Soffian said investigations were completed and an investigation paper issued and handed to the public prosecutor for the suspect to be charged under Section 6(3) of the Immigration Act 1959/63.
“As for the abuse, there is a further development as the public prosecutor has called for action, and the investigation papers have been reviewed again on March 8.
“An order to charge this suspect under section 3(1)(a) Children Act 2001 has been issued by the public prosecutor and we will submit an order to prosecute.
“At present, the suspect is still being detained in the Seberang Prai jail in Jawi.
“Therefore, I would like to urge the public to check the facts or information obtained before posting it on social media.
“Sharing unverified details will tarnish the image of any organisation or agency, and in this case, it is the police force, which was accused of not taking immediate action even though we did it right after the police report was lodged,” he said.
When asked on whether any action will be taken against the individual who had accused police of inaction, Soffian said it will be discussed within the top leadership first.
The said video shows a woman slapping, pinching, and slamming a baby’s head to the floor.
It is learnt that the video was said to be recorded by her stepdaughter, who was also a victim of abuse. – The Vibes, March 16, 2022
