Policemen in runaway detainee case to face action

GEORGE TOWN: Police will initiate disciplinary action against the policemen who were assigned to guard a murder suspect who escaped from the Balik Pulau Sessions Court yesterday.
State police chief Datuk Abdul Ghafar Rajab said he did not want a similar incident to happen again and added that police would also investigate if the policemen had "purposely" let the accused go.
He was commenting on the case of former security guard Tarmizi Yaacob, 20, who was charged with the rape and murder of a 17-year-old school girl last year.
In the incident on Thursday, Tarmizi was seated in the dock while waiting for his case to be brought up when Sessions Court Judge Helmi Ghani called for a recess at 9.35am.
He somehow managed to free himself even though he was handcuffed to another detainee and ran down the staircase to the lock-up area which is connected to the dock.
He exited the area and dashed across the road to a residential area opposite the court complex.
Closely in pursuit were court officials and police who found him hiding near a terrace house a few minutes after he made his bid for freedom.
Abdul Ghafar who was speaking to the media after officiating at the police volunteer corps swearing-in ceremony at the Marine Police Base in Batu Uban here, said Tarmizi would be charged under Section 223 and 224 of the Penal Code for escaping from lawful custody.
Earlier during the ceremony, Abdul Ghafar said a total of 166 police volunteers had completed their seven-month training programme.