JOHOR BAHRU - Two illegal immigrants en route to undergo their six-month prison sentence for entering the country without documents escaped in an incident on Tuesday morning, raising questions on the security of the authorities.
Both the individuals known as Haji Samirudin, 36 and Riki Rinaldi, 40, escaped while on their way from the Kota Tinggi Sessions Court towards the Satelit Ledang Prison, here.
Kulai district police chief Superintendent Tok Beng Yeow said both individuals unlocked their handcuffs and kicked open the van door they were travelling in to escape into an abandoned plantation in Jalan Felda Inas heading towards Sengkang.
"The suspects along with two others were brought to Kota Tinggi Sessions Court at 8am for not having a pass and legal documents to enter into the country.
"All the accused had been sentenced to six months in prison by the court according to Section 5(2) of the Immigration Act 1959/63,” he said.
Tok said three Maritime officers were tasked to bring all the accused to Satelit Ledang Prison after the charges at 11.20am.
However, both Indonesian men who were Malaysia Maritime captives were arrested again within 24 hours.
Tok said they were found in a weakened state with minor injuries.
He said both suspects changed from their lockup clothes and were cladding in t-shirts and jeans, believed to be stolen.
"They both suffered light injuries after jumping off the van to escape.
"Riki was arrested at a vegetable garden in Sengkang, Jalan Felda Inas at 10.35pm on Tuesday.
"Samirudin was arrested at the oil palm plantation in Taman Saga at 10.30am on Wednesday. The distance between the two was around 1.5 kilometres,” he said in a press conference on Wednesday.
Tok said the Kulai magistrate’s court has allowed a four-day remand order starting on Wednesday towards Riki for four days while the remand for Samirudin will be applied on Thursday.
The case is investigated following Section 223/224 of the Penal Code.
Malaysia Maritime will perform internal investigations following this case.
Johor State Maritime director Maritime First Admiral Nurul Hizam Zakaria said internal investigations were carried out to detect if a breach of security occurred when transporting the detainees.