Woman duped of RM3.5 million in scheme to free daughter from Sosma

JOHOR BAHRU - Police have arrested a man believed to be deceiving a woman in a scheme to secure the release of her daughter, who has been detained under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma) since 2019.

According to Johor deputy police chief Deputy Commissioner M Kumar, the 35-year-old local man was apprehended in the city by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the state police headquarters with assistance from the Federal Police CID team.

He said that the state police received a complaint from a local woman who claimed to have been deceived in her efforts to secure the release of her daughter, who is currently held at Kajang Prison under Atipsom/Sosma since 2019.

"The suspect claimed that he could establish contact with the investigating officer of the case to secure the release of her daughter, as well as expedite the resolution of the case, on the condition that the woman handed over a certain amount of cash to him.

"Believing the suspect's words, the woman gradually handed over cash to the suspect between March 2020 and June 2023, amounting to a total of RM3.5 million," he said.

He added that the woman filed a police report after realising she had been deceived by the suspect.

"The suspect was subsequently arrested for further investigation, and the case will be investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code, for cheating, which carries a maximum penalty of imprisonment up to 10 years, whipping, and also a fine," he said.