GEORGE TOWN, 9 Sept 2017:
Police investigations revealed that the man who escaped from police custody at a court complex here on Wednesday was given the key to the chained handcuffs by his friend.
Northeast police chief ACP Anuar Omar said Khairul Nizam Abdullah Sani, 33, who was charged in the court for a drug offence, was believed to have obtained the self-made key from his friend – who was present at the court.
“When Khairul Nizam and 28 other detainees were brought to court, they did not bring anything and according to the other detainee who also escaped with him, Khairul Nizam got the key from his friend while attending court.
“The 37-year-old detainee, who was rearrested on the court grounds, also claimed that he did not know about the suspect’s plan to flee instead just ran away after the handcuffs were unlocked.”
Anuar said the police believed that the suspect was still hiding in the state.
“On the day the man was charged in court, his family refused to pay the bail and he had also been detained before for a few times due to the same offence.”
In the 5.20pm incident, Khairul Nizam fled when police personnel were escorting him from the court’s lockup to the Black Maria after his hearing.
– Bernama