The complainant (second left), his wife (left), Yap and a family member show the medical and police report.
SIBU: One of the three men allegedly beaten up by police while in police custody was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Sibu Hospital for eight days.
He has lodged a police report and produced a medical report to support his allegation of the assault.
Yesterday, Jolaihie Buang was accompanied by his wife and a family member to meet Dudong assemblyman Yap Hoi Liong to inform the latter of the alleged beating.
Yap said he might sue the four implicated policemen, the police chief here, the Inspector-General of Police, Sarawak police commissioner, and the Home Ministry.
“This is abuse of power and inhumane torture by the police using violence while recording statements,” he told a press conference yesterday.
He urged the police chief, IGP, state police commissioner and Home Ministry to probe the alleged assault, which involved human rights.
Sibu police chief ACP Mohd Kamal Kordi, when contacted yesterday, said the police had opened a case file for investigation after receiving the report from the complainant.
“We will find out whether the allegation on the assault involving the police was true,” he said.
He added that police would get medical reports from the hospital to assist them in the probe.
On Dec 31 last year, Jolaihie, accompanied by his wife, went to Sungai Merah Police Station here to assist in a cheating case in Kanowit.
Jolaihie, 29, from Daro, claimed he was badly treated by four police personnel when they were taking his statement.
The crane operator claimed a policeman punched him in the stomach twice before taking him custody at Sibu Central Police Station.
He said he was taken back to Sungai Merah Police Station on Jan 2, with two other men, to have their statements recorded.
On arrival, he said they were told to stand and squat repeatedly, while pulling their ears 100 times.
He alleged that a policeman kicked him when he could not finish the punishment.
Jolaihie said they had to go through the punishment from the beginning when they failed to meet the demand.
“The police only told us to stop doing the punishment when I looked pale,” he alleged.
According to him, a police officer told him and the other men to slap one another on the face twice when their statements were being recorded.
After that, Jolaihie said he was sent back to custody along with the two others.
He was in pain as his body and legs were swollen that night.
He had complained to other inmates of blood in his urine due to his injuries while in custody.
Jolaihie, who vomited and was unable to drink and eat, went to see a doctor in Island Road on Jan 5, a day after he was released along with the other two men.
He was referred to Sibu Hospital the following day.
In the hospital, he was wheeled to the ICU on Jan 13 and received treatment there for eight days.
He was discharged from the hospital on Jan 29.
His wife lodged a police report on the day he was admitted to the ICU.
Based on the medical report, the Dudong assemblyman said Jolaihie suffered serious kidney injuries.