Ipoh Barat MP M Kula Segaran said the police must be held accountable for yet another bungle after the single mother of five, Saroja Devi Krishnan, was locked up despite her bail being paid. She has since lodged a report against the police over the matter.
“The excuse by the police was that her bailor had failed to obtain a release letter from the court. The bailor was her daughter who was distraught throughout the whole ordeal. The mother was put in a lock-up with drug addicts due to this.
“The 46-year-old single mother was handcuffed, taken to the police station and had to spend the night in the lock-up all because her dog had attacked and injured a neighbour in July.
“All because the police refused to verify her claim that the bail was paid,” the former human resources minister said in a statement to FMT.
According to Kula Segaran, instead of helping the bailor, the police detained the mother unfairly on a Friday knowing that she would have to spend three nights in jail as courts are normally closed during the weekends.
“Thankfully, magistrate Adibah Kadir intervened, ensuring the victim was released the following day, on a Saturday,” he said, adding that the police officer in charge of the court must explain his or her dereliction of duty here.
“Where was the common sense and empathy? Did this happen because no one is overseeing the police? There are many cases of this nature and this is just the tip of the iceberg.
“Deaths while in police custody are still rampant. We need the IPCMC to oversee the police. Such a commission will also be helpful as now people are afraid of lodging a report against the police to the police.”
He added that the fact that Saroja Devi pleaded guilty to negligence under Section 289 of the Penal Code and her bail was paid should have been the end of the matter.
“What proceeded to happen was evidence of something rotten brewing in the force. There should be strict SOPs on how to handle people who have been arrested and charged.
“Enough is enough. How long must the Malaysian public suffer due to these incompetencies?”
Kula Segaran said Saroja Devi narrated the humiliation she went through, and is still facing, due to the detention in the police lock-up when he met her at her house yesterday.
“Local public activists and lawyer P Ravee are helping her with a legal challenge that she will be mounting. I hope justice will be served,” he said.