FIVE policemen will face internal investigation for allegedly abusing a 19-year-old teenager arrested for flouting the movement-control order in Sg Petani.

Kuala Muda district police chief Adzli Abu Shah said the teenager lodged a report on the matter, which happened last week.

Adzli said he has instructed the district’s Integrity and Standards Compliance Department (JIPS) to start probing the matter.

“I can confirm I have received a report from the complainant who claimed he was abused by the policemen. We understand he was unhappy with the treatment he received.

“He was initially arrested on April 18 for allegedly violating the restriction order. Now I have ordered JIPS to investigate the matter,” Adzli told The Malaysian Insight.

According to civil society group Eliminating Deaths and Abuse in Custody Together (Edict), the teenager, Ahmad Radhi Bashizan, who is on crutches due to a recent surgery on his hip, when he was stopped and arrested by police outside his home.

He was then allegedly forced into the boot of a patrol car before being driven to a police station some 20km away.

Edict said Ahmad mentioned in his police report he struggled to breathe when in the boot.

“He informed the five arresting officers he was recovering from an operation to have a pin inserted in his right hip.

“He pointed to his crutches. He told them he was on a course of medication. He told them his surgeon had told him not to put any load on his right leg for two months.

“The officers brushed aside everything. They handcuffed him. They told him and another detainee to get into the boot of the patrol car.”

Edict said the officers drove to a police booth in the housing estate he lives in and from there, he was taken to the lockup in the Kuala Muda district police headquarters, which is about 20km away.

The group said Ahmad was granted police bail and released on condition he appears in court on April 29 to be charged.

The report also stated that during his arrest, Ahmad was not allowed to use his crutches and could not take his medication.

“He lodged the police report yesterday in Sg Petani and gave the identification number of the arresting officer,” Edict said, adding that four other officers were involved in the arrest. – April 24, 2020.