KUCHING: Police have launched an investigation into a child abuse allegation against a relative of two girls who staged their abduction at Jalan FAC, Matang last Sunday.
State Deputy Police Commissioner Datuk Dev Kumar M M Sree (pic) said no arrest has been made so far as the police are still verifying the allegation.
“We cannot simply arrest someone without verifying the allegation,” he told reporters after an event organised by the Customs Department at Wisma Kastam Medan Raya here yesterday.
Dev Kumar added that the investigation was based on claims made by the girls who alleged that their abuse by a relative forced them to fake their abduction in order to escape.
The said relative is in fact the mother of one of the allegers, a 10-year-old girl, and an aunt to the other alleger, a 17-year-old girl.
He also pointed out that a 20-year-old woman will soon be charged under Section 182 of the Penal Code for making a police report on the fake abduction.
If convicted she could be imprisoned for six months and fined RM10,000.
When asked when the charge would be made, Dev Kumar replied, “I have to check with the state CID chief (SAC Denis Leong) first. Definitely she will be charged considering the stress she caused to the whole of Sarawak.”
Last Sun-day, the woman claimed that two masked men grab-bed the girls by the arms and dragged them into a white van.
However, after a thorough investigation the police found that the abduction was staged and the girls were found safe at a friend’s house.
On viral news and postings about children being abducted for their organs, Dev Kumar stressed that they were all fake.
He said so far there is no record of such case (child abduction) in Sarawak.
“People should verify information received online before sharing it on social media.
“Some unverified news can cause public panic,” he said.
