| James Kon |
A GROUP of five men from Brunei was apprehended by the Royal Malaysia Police for allegedly assaulting two immigration officers and two members of the People’s Volunteer Corps (Rela) while trying to intrude into the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) area in Tedungan, Limbang after closing hours on Wednesday night.
According to a statement from the Malaysian police, the suspects, aged 20 to 40 years, were in a vehicle as they entered into the CIQ area through the passage used by Immigration officers at 12.10am – well after the border gates of both countries (Brunei and Malaysia) were closed.
Nine immigration officers and six members of the Rela were preparing to go home when the car intruded into the CIQ area.
Two immigration officers and two members of the Rela stopped the car and did not allow the Brunei-registered vehicle to enter into Brunei as the border gate was already closed.
These four officials were beaten and kicked, causing them to sustain bodily injuries including on their hands and legs, a Borneo Post Online report said, quoting a senior police official from Limbang.
“It is believed that the suspects were under the influence of alcohol during the incident and had tried to use the route to return to Brunei after the border post operation ended,” the official said, adding that the injured victims had sought outpatient treatment at Limbang Hospital.
After the assault, the suspects sped off back to Limbang, the report said.
A police report was lodged at 12.34 midnight at the Bambangan Police Station. While investigation was ongoing at the CIQ, Tedungan, the five suspects tried to cross the border in their car at 12.20pm on Thursday to head back to Brunei and were arrested by the Malaysian police.
The car used by the suspects was also seized.
The suspects are currently remanded under Section 117 of the Criminal Procedure Code for further investigation.
The case is being investigated under Section 353 of the Penal Code, the Malaysian police official was quoted as saying in the report.
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