Three of four inmates who escape from quarantine centre detained

PENAMPANG: Three of the four convicted inmates who escaped from a Covid-19 quarantine centre in Penampang early Sunday morning have been arrested by police.

Penampang police chief DSP Mohd Haris Ibrahim said the four suspects fled from the quarantine centre at Institute Latihan Mahkamah Anak Negeri in Penampang around 3.30am on Sunday.

Mohd Haris said the suspects were initially removed from the Penampang police lock-up to the quarantine centre in stages after they were tested positive of the Covid-19 virus since July 24.

A police manhunt was immediately launched by the Penampang Crime Investigation Department (CID) police division with assistance from the Kota Kinabalu CID division.

The three escapees were arrested at Lorong Wijaya 1, Taman Wijaya, Manggatal in Kota Kinabalu around 5.45pm on Sunday.

“The suspects managed to change their clothes to blend in with the public but police managed to identify them and made the arrests,” said Mohd Haris.

The suspects arrested are Arippian Abdul, 27; Mohd Ditazmir Razif Rudyaz, 20; and Salman Arip, 19.

The fourth suspect, Mohd Rahman Basir, 24, is still at large.

Police are continuing the manhunt for the fourth suspect and Mohd Haris urged anyone with information or the whereabouts of Mohd Rahman to immediately contact the Penampang police hotline at 088-723 961 or the nearest police station.

Earlier, a villager found two purple trousers believed to have dumped by the escapees behind a house at Kampung Bambangan, Inanam around 10am yesterday.

Police went to investigate and did not rule out that they could be the clothes used by the escaped prisoners.

They advised the villagers in surrounding areas to be vigilant of suspicious people.
Early this week, a crime suspect also fled while being transported to the quarantine centre in Likas.

Lo Hin Khiong, 38, jumped out of a Health Department vehicle at the traffic lights.
It is learnt he tested positive for Covid-19 while he was in detention.