KOTA KINABALU – Four out of 14 men who fled a migrant detention centre in Tawau this morning still remain at large, police said today.
The migrants, who were waiting for their Covid-19 test results were reported to have climbed the main gate of the centre at around 2am today, before escaping.
“A detention centre worker saw some of the detainees and started shouting, before the centre supervisor conducted a check on the suspects’ cell and found that they had escaped,” said Tawau police chief Peter Ambuas.
However, four of them were rearrested at a palm oil plantation nearby, while six others were nabbed at a location close to the detention centre.
The four who remain at large are, Filipinos Jaladi Benedi, 38, Talim Tipayan, 36, Dal Mujiral, 40; and Indonesian Anwar Awal, 35.
“The detainees were waiting for their final test results from the health ministry… all the detainees had taken their tests several times prior,” said Ambuas.
“They were scheduled to be repatriated to their countries of origin if their results returned negative.”
Tawau has been declared a red zone and currently, the targeted enhanced control movement (Temco) is being implemented. – The Vibes, October 10, 2020
