Oct 17, 2000
Date: Wed, 18 Oct 2000 08:39:27 +0800
www.malaysiakini.com
EXCLUSIVE!
Gunshot victim told to lie to doctor
Leong Kar Yen and Ng Boon Hooi
7.40pm, TUES: A robbery suspect allegedly shot during his remand interrogation said he was told by the police to tell the doctor that he had been involved in a motorcycle accident.
The victim, 24-year-old carpenter How Soon Hock, was shot in the Puchong police station lock-up on Oct 6. He was only brought to the hospital half an hour after the "accident".
Recounting his ordeal to malaysiakini, How said that he was shot through the right temple, injuring his right eye and causing it to go blind.
"Don't tell the doctor anything," How quoted the police as saying while they were on their way to University Hospital in Petaling Jaya.
"I was told to say it was just a motorcycle accident," he added.
However, when How told the doctor the concocted reason for his wounds, the doctor refused to believe him.
He also said that a magistrate visited him at the hospital a few days later. The judge asked him whether he was involved in a motorcycle accident.
"I replied ‘No'. I said I was shot by a pistol," said How. "The judge said, ‘Do you know what you are saying.' I told the judge, ‘If you don't believe me, asked the doctor.'"
How had been arrested on Oct 2 in connection with a robbery at a clinic and brought to the Puchong police station.
The next day he was taken to a magistrate's court and served a seven-day remand order with no lawyer present.
During the first three days of remand, nobody interrogated him and he had nothing to wear except for a pair of short pants.
At around 3pm on Oct 6, a policeman identified only as Yap brought him into a room.
Yap was described by How as being of medium height, thirtysomething, and had curly hair.
How was ordered to sit on the floor with his legs outstretched. Yap then beat the sole of How's feet with a rubber hose.
"He beat me and ordered me to jump, for 10 to 20 minutes. I withstood the pain," How told malaysiakini in an interview at his house in Petaling Jaya.
Electric shock treatment
How recalled that Yap, using an electric prod, then subjected him to an electric shock treatment.
All throughout the ordeal, How was handcuffed at the back.
Then Yap threatened him, saying that the electric shock treatment would have adverse effects on him.
"You will become mad afterwards!" How quoted Yap as saying.
How described the pain from the electric shock was so intense that "it pierced my bones".
He said that Yap accused him of committing a crime, and the beating was to serve as a warning.
An unidentified policeman then came in. He took out a pistol and a toothbrush and asked How what it was.
"It is a toothbrush," How replied. The police officer then used the toothbrush to clean the pistol.
How claimed that Yap continued to beat him and gave him the electric shock treatment for another 10 minutes even though he pleaded the policemen to stop.
"I was very afraid," said How, adding that this was his first arrest.
According to How, the unidentified policeman proceeded to beat him with a two-inch thick folder. After that, he sat down and pointed a pistol at How. The policeman asked him what it was, and How answered it was a pistol.
Yap continued to beat him and then placed six bullets on the table. He asked How if the pistol looked nice. "Yes, it's nice," How replied.
Yap then asked How to hold the pistol, but he refused, saying: "Guns are only for the police. It would be against the law if I hold it."
How claimed that Yap attempted to force him to hold the pistol, but he thwarted Yap by clenching his fists.
He said Yap then inserted one bullet into the pistol, rolled the barrel and pointed the pistol at his chest.
"Let's see if you are lucky," Yap reportedly said. He then pulled the trigger but the gun did not go off.
Black cloth
The policemen later put a black cloth over How's head and continued to beat and prod him. "You used this pistol to rob," How quoted Yap as saying.
"No, no, no!" shouted How. The policemen then removed the black cloth from him and again pointed a pistol at him.
"Let's see if you are really lucky," Yap reportedly said, and then pulled the trigger. When the gun did not fire, Yap told him that he was "very lucky".
Another Malay policeman then came in and immediately pointed a pistol at How's temple. He was pushed to the wall with the pistol, whereupon the Malay policeman said: "If I open fire, you will surely die."
The Malay policeman retreated several feet and shortly after, a gunshot rang out. How then felt an intense pain in his right temple and eye.
How half fainted, falling to the ground and bleeding profusely, but he could still hear murmurs from the policemen.
One of the policemen then grabbed his hair and pulled him up, How recalled.
When he asked for help in seeking medical attention, the policemen asked How to wait. The policemen then cleaned the bloodstained wall and floor.
'Like waiting for me to die'
"It was like they were waiting for me to die," recalled How.
After waiting for half an hour, the policemen then pulled How's shirt over his head to cover his wound and brought How through a back door of the police station to a clinic nearby.
At the clinic, his wound was cleaned and stitched. However, the person at the clinic told the police to send him to University Hospital immediately.
The New Straits Times reported on Sunday that Petaling Jaya OCPD Dell Akbar Khan said in the midst of questioning the suspect, the policeman involved was putting his Walter 9mm pistol into the holster when it suddenly exploded and the bullet hit the victim (How).
The officer involved is being investigated under Section 37 of the Firearms Act, under which offenders are liable to a fine of RM5,000 or two years' imprisonment or both (Suspect allegedly shot during Russian roulette-style interrogation, Oct 16).
How, who is out on a RM3,000 bail, said that he planned to sue all the three policemen involved.
Previous story
Investigate police shooting of detainee, Oct 13
COUNTERBALANCE.ANYWHERE.ANYTIME.ANYBODY.ANYONE.COM
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Messenger - Talk while you surf! It's FREE.
