A viral video showing a 13-year-old schoolgirl allegedly being assaulted by five other female students has sparked widespread outrage online, with Kota Kinabalu police confirming that an investigation is underway.
Acting Kota Kinabalu police chief Sailo confirmed the incident in a statement today, revealing that the victim personally lodged a police report on May 23 at around 7.51am.
Initial police investigations found that the incident allegedly took place at about 8am on May 22 in the Kota Kinabalu city area.
According to authorities, the teenage girl was allegedly attacked by five female students using only physical force, leaving her with bruises on both shoulders and legs, injuries on her left ear and minor wounds on her left knee.
Further investigations revealed that the victim and all the suspects were students from different schools around Kota Kinabalu and reportedly became acquainted through a WhatsApp group known as “Angel”.
Police said the victim was allegedly brought to the location by two of the suspects before the remaining girls surrounded and assaulted her.
Investigators believe the attack may have stemmed from misunderstandings and dissatisfaction towards the victim.
The girl also reportedly claimed she was threatened after the incident and warned not to inform her family members or the police about what had happened.
Authorities said several students and members of the public witnessed the incident, while some individuals recorded the assault and uploaded the footage onto social media, causing the clip to spread rapidly online.
The disturbing 1-minute-and-1-second video has been circulating widely since last night, showing the victim being repeatedly attacked outside of school grounds.
The footage triggered strong reactions from netizens, many of whom demanded strict action against those involved.
Police are currently investigating the case under Section 147 of the Penal Code for rioting and Section 506 for criminal intimidation.
Kota Kinabalu police have urged the public not to speculate or spread unverified information while investigations are ongoing to avoid disrupting the case.
