A Magistrate’s Court has granted police a four-day remand order for 10 teenage boys to assist investigations into a group assault on a student while he was on his way to Friday prayers at Masjid Merotai Besar recently.
All suspects, aged between 14 and 17, were brought to the courthouse in a police truck and arrived at around 9am before remand proceedings were conducted online via Zoom.
Magistrate Don Stiwin Malanjum issued the remand order until July 8, allowing police to continue investigations under Section 147 of the Penal Code for rioting.
The remand application was made by investigating officer Sarjan Chong Fung Mee from the Criminal Investigation Division of the Tawau district police headquarters. All suspects were produced in court without parents or guardians present.
Based on facts presented to the court, the incident occurred at about 12pm last Friday when the victim and three friends were taking a shortcut through an oil palm plantation on their way to the mosque for Friday prayers.
They were then approached by a group of students known to them, who reportedly questioned them about two other individuals before one suspect suddenly assaulted the victim, followed by others joining in.
The case gained public attention after a nearly two-minute video of the incident went viral on social media, prompting police action which led to the arrest of all suspects at about 2pm yesterday.
