Jauteh
KOTA KINABALU: The number of premises shot by a group of people in the state capital and Penampang on Friday and Saturday has increased to 46.
City police chief ACP Jauteh Dikun said as of yesterday, police had identified 13 more premises that were damaged by the shootings.
He said initial police investigation showed 25 premises were affected but after continuous investigation, it was revealed that 13 more were also hit.
“This figure was made after several premises owners came forward yesterday to lodge police reports at the city police headquarters,” he said.
Jauteh also urged anyone with information to contact the city police hotline at 088-221 191 to assist police in their investigation.
Meanwhile, Penampang police chief DSP Ratan Kumar Singh also confirmed that two more police reports have been lodged by premises owners in the incident, making the total of eight around Penampang area.
He said the other two affected premises were CKS building and a Perodua showroom in Bundusan, Penampang.
Singh urged anyone with information to immediately contact the Penampang police hotline at 088-712 222.
Police have set up a special task force to look into the incident and the case is currently being investigated under Section 427 of the Penal Code for committing mischief and thereby causing damage, which carries a jail term of up to two years, or fine, or both, upon conviction.
Meanwhile, police have confirmed that the close circuit television (CCTV) footage which has been circulating in the social media showing armed men walking into a building are not the wanted suspects who were involved in the drive-by shootings.
Jauteh said the CCTV footage, which has been circulating in social media in less than 24 hours after the incident, was actually footage of a crime case which took place in Peninsular Malaysia.
“Coincidentally, the incident in Peninsular Malaysia happened on the same day and about the same time as the drive-by shooting incidents here in Kota Kinabalu.
“Police have ruled out the suspects showed on CCTV footage are wanted for the drive-by shootings on Saturday.
“Police therefore urged the public not to believe in rumors, especially through social media, as it can jeopardize police investigation,” he said when contacted yesterday.
In less than 24 hours after the drive-by shootings on Friday night and Saturday morning around the state capital and in Penampang which saw many premises damaged, several CCTV footages have been circulating in Facebook and WhatsApp of the alleged suspects involved in their mischief.
State Crime Investigation Department (CID) chief SAC Omar Mamah had on Sunday dismissed the CCTV footage, including a photo on Facebook and WhatsApp showing two individuals being detained by police as the wanted suspects.
Omar said the photo of the two suspects who were nabbed by police were actually involved in a recent theft case around the state capital.