Police say a possible misunderstanding may have led a woman to claim she was denied entry into a police station when she was in distress and tried to seek protection.
- Policeman allegedly reprimanded victim, telling her to speak “nicely”
- Victim claims road bullies were out to get her
- Teenage trio in BMW trailing victim arrested
City police chief Comm Datuk Seri Mazlan Lazim denied a woman’s allegation that police were indifferent to her situation, which was highlighted in a video that went viral on Tuesday.
In a video shared on her Facebook page, businesswoman Kogee Sinniah, 41, claimed that police had turned a blind eye when she sought help after realising she was trailed by a group of men in a BMW car.
She said was denied entry into Alam Damai police station in Cheras when she tried to seek protection but according to Mazlan, Kogee was allowed to enter the police station after the sentry policemen asked her what was going on.
“It is standard operating procedure (SOP) for policemen on duty to ask the purpose of one coming to the police station…this is for safety reasons before one is allowed to enter the police station compound.
“This is because there are various of external threats, such as the Islamic State (IS). They will use all types of tactics, including pretending they are in an emergency (to enter the police station).
“Our policemen are just doing their jobs…claims that she was not allowed to enter the police station is not true,” he said at a press conference at Alam Damai police station on Tuesday night.
Mazlan, however, said investigations were ongoing and all parties involved in the case would be called up to have their statements recorded.
“When the sentry approached the car that was following her, he instructed them to obey the law and not harass her.
“They left after the sentry told them to make a police report if they were unhappy about the situation.
“She was also allowed to go into the police station, but she stayed in her car for about 10 minutes before driving off,” said Mazlan added.
He said that once Kogee entered the station, she was in a safe environment – especially since the suspects had driven away.
The victim lodged a police report on the incident at 3pm yesterday and police had since detained three teenage boys, all 18, to facilitate investigations.
“The trio was picked from Alam Damai area, and they were being investigated under Section 506 of the Penal Code for criminal intimidation,” Mazlan said.
He added that police will be fair to all parties and will investigate the claims made in the video.
“We will also conduct an internal investigation and if the policemen involved are found to have violated the SOP, action would be taken,” he said.
In the 10pm incident, Kogee alleged that she was driving at Persiaran Alam Damai with her 13-year-old son when a BMW, with three teenage boys inside, honked and shouted at her.
Worried about her safety and that of her son when she saw the BMW tailing her, she called 999 before driving to Alam Damai police station. She alleged that the other vehicle even attempted to block her car.
Apparently, when she approached the police station she blared her horn repeatedly for several minutes to get the attention of the policemen on duty at the station. However, she claimed no one came to her aid and the BMW finally drove off.
She then made her way to the police station but was not allowed to enter the police station compound. She alleged that the policeman even reprimanded her and told her to speak “nicely”.
Shortly after, the BMW also drove up to the police station which prompted the policemen to check on them.
The teenagers in the BMW apparently said that they were upset with Kogee for having driven into their lane and alleged that she nearly hit their car, hence they had followed her.
Reportedly, the police then asked the teens to leave and told them that their action had violated the law.
Dissatisfied with the incident, Kogee uploaded two videos on her Facebook account, recounting her experience.
In the second video, she claimed that a police officer had contacted her and told her that the men were following her car because she had veered into their lane.
She admitted she could have swerved into their lane because the road was dark and under construction where from a two-lane it narrowed to a one-lane road.
However, she said even if she had veered into the other car’s road, there was no reason for them to act in such a manner.
“I may be at fault but I did not hit that person’s car or did I do anything, I just may have got in their way,” Kogee said.
She added that if the other car had thought it was an offence she had got in their way then they could have just made a police report.
Commenting on her first attempt to lodge a report where she claimed the police had not let her into the compound of the police station, the woman said that the police needed to differentiate between a distress situation or a public car.
“If I have a police report to make do I park my car and walk in, in the middle of the night?” she asked.
https://www.facebook.com/ammasOnamission/videos/10215062537227781/?t=3
She subsequently made a report on Tuesday at the Taman Maluri police station.