TAWAU: Police arrested 10 local male students to assist with investigations into a suspected rioting case that left four students injured, while a foreigner was also detained for trespassing at the Tawau Driving Centre. The arrests were made in two separate operations on July 3 and July 4.
On the rioting case, acting OCPD Superintendent Wilynton Enchana Watt, said all suspects, aged between 14 and 17, were arrested around 2 pm on July 4. The operation was carried out by a team of officers and personnel from the district Criminal Investigation Division (CID) together with members of the Bombalai Police Station.
According to preliminary investigations, the 14-year-old victim and his three friends were walking through a shortcut to the Merotai Besar Mosque to perform Friday prayers when they were approached by a group of students who asked about the whereabouts of two other individuals.
“After the victim told them he did not know where the individuals they were looking for were, the group of students is believed to have attacked and beaten him in a group assault. The victim’s three friends who were at the location were also believed to have been attacked by the teenagers,” he said.
As a result of the incident, the main victim sustained injuries and pain to his face, head, chest, and ribs, while the other three victims were also hurt before lodging a police report.
The case is being investigated under Section 147 of the Penal Code for rioting, and police are continuing their probe to determine the root cause of the incident.
Wilynton stressed that police take all forms of violence or misconduct involving students seriously and will not compromise with any individual found to have broken the law.
“Parents and guardians are advised to constantly monitor their children’s social circles and behaviour. Schools and the wider community are also urged to continue working closely with the police in efforts to curb the scourge of violence among students,” he said.
Members of the public with information relating to the rioting incident are urged to come forward to assist investigations by contacting the investigating officer, Sergeant Chong Fung Mee, or the nearest police station.
In a separate operation on July 3, police arrested a 29-year-old foreigner for allegedly trespassing at the Tawau Driving Centre along Jalan Hilltop in the early morning.
The arrest was made by officers from the Mobile Patrol Vehicle Unit following a public tip-off about a suspicious individual spotted within the institution’s grounds.
Wilynton said the centre’s security guard alerted police after detecting the unknown man inside and noticing that he was driving a vehicle belonging to the driving centre.
Further checks revealed that the suspect was in Malaysia without any valid travel documents, prompting investigations under Section 447 of the Penal Code for criminal trespass and Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63.
No items were seized during the arrest, and record checks showed the suspect has no prior criminal history. – James Leong
Wilynton, said all suspects, aged between 14 and 17, were arrested around 2 pm on July 4.
