JOHOR BARU: The capture of an ethnic Rohingya man known as “Long Tiger” came at the nick of time with the fugitive making plans to escape to a neighbouring country.

       Outgoing Johor police chief Comm Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said that investigations so far showed that the fugitive, Abdul Hamim Ab Hamid, 32, who is currently under remand until Jan 1, wanted to flee Malaysia.

       He added that other than the arrests of Abdul Hamim and his 46-year-old male accomplice in Kedah on Tuesday (Dec 28) at around 3.15pm, police also arrested two male suspects aged 36 and 38, in Batu Pahat in the wee hours of Wednesday (Dec 29) morning.

       “Long Tiger knew the accomplice whom he met through Facebook and became friends with last year.

       “The other two suspects assisted him by buying him a mobile SIM card and cutting off his handcuffs. We seized the handcuffs and an iron cutter from them,” he said, adding that one of the suspects has a criminal record.

       Comm Ayob said this in a press conference held at the state police headquarters here on Wednesday.

       He also said police were investigating how Abdul Hamim managed to escape from the Tangkak Magistrate Court on Dec 15 and make his way to Sungai Petani in Kedah, which is more than 500km away.

       Comm Ayob, however, admitted that it was the carelessness from the police in the first place which allowed the main suspect to escape from the lock-up.

       He said the four policemen who were accompanying Abdul Hamim at the time have since been suspended while the Tangkak OCPD and Tangkak police station chief would be referred to Bukit Aman for disciplinary action as well.

       “Police are also opening up an investigation paper after pictures of Abdul Hamim's arrest went viral on social media, as it will tamper with our investigations.

       “We are also investigating a Facebook account belonging to a former policeman from Klang which uploaded the pictures on social media,” he said, adding that the case was being investigated under Section 233 of the Communication and Multimedia Act 1998.

       Comm Ayob warned that police would take action against anyone including senior police officers if they were found to leak such information to the public.

       On Tuesday, police arrested Abdul Hamim almost two weeks after he escaped from the Magistrate’s Court lock-up in Tangkak.

       On Dec 15, Abdul Hamim escaped through the main entrance of the Tangkak courthouse at around noon before his hearing.

       He was picked up from the Sungai Udang Prison in Melaka a day before the incident and brought to attend the court session for a case under Section 388 of the Penal Code (for extortion).

       Police personnel only realised he escaped after seeing him running out of the door towards the gate.

       They, along with court security guards, ran after the suspect but he managed to flee towards the woods.

       The suspect also has an ongoing hearing at the Muar Sessions Court for rape under Section 376 of the Penal Code.

       Abdul Hamim was picked up in Muar on July 12 after he allegedly locked up a 21-year-old local said to be his former worker.

       On April 28, he was detained at his home in Muar after he allegedly made a slanderous statement against a police officer from the Tangkak police headquarters.

       A 27-year-old Corporal from the Muar police department, who allegedly spread videos of Abdul Hamim's arrest on social media, was arrested and investigated under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.

       In 2012, Abdul Hamim was charged under Sections 363 and 376 of the Penal Code for kidnapping and rape.

       In 2009, he was convicted under Section 506 of the Penal Code for criminal intimidation.

       The suspect has temporary resident status, as well as a refugee card issued by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.