Some detained Kiram followers may go free as early as April 1 — Malaysian police exec

Some of the 103 suspected followers of Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III may go free as early as April 1 - if police investigators fail to gather enough evidence against them, a Malaysian police official said on Saturday.

Police Deputy Inspector General Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said they are working round the clock to gather evidence against the Kiram followers, according to a report on Malaysia's New Straits Times (NST).

"Of the 103, some of the suspects' detention period expires on April 1, so we will have to submit the investigation papers to the Attorney-General's Chambers for a decision on whether to charge or release them before that date," he told NST.

Khalid said the 103 suspects are detained under the Security Offenses (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma), which allows them to detain suspects for up to 28 days.

Once the 28-day period lapses, he said they should either be charged in court or released. "We cannot detain them any longer," Khalid explained.

The New Straits Times report said more than 300 Criminal Investigation Department personnel are involved in the evidence-gathering process.

Khalid said CID personnel had been brought in from Bukit Aman and other states to assist in the investigations.

Last Wednesday, eight other Kiram followers detained under Sosma system were charged before the courts for terrorism.

Two of them face possible death after they were slapped additional charges of waging war on the King.

Some to be handed to immigration

Khalid also said not all Sosma detainees who were not charged will be released, as many of them were found illegally staying.

"These people will be handed to the Immigration Department for further action," he said.

However, the other detainees will be released if there was not enough evidence to charge them, he added. - VVP, GMA News