Sabah cops investigating claims of husband, wife in domestic violence case

KOTA KINABALU: Police are conducting a thorough and fair probe over a domestic violence claim made by a woman against her husband who is a senior Sabah civil servant, says Supt Kalsom Idris.

The Kota Kinabalu deputy OCPD said they were also investigating the woman, aged 31, in connection with the husband’s report that she allegedly damaged his office here.

Supt Kalsom said police have opened up three investigation papers (IPs) consisting of two reports made by the woman and one by the 57-year-old husband.

After the reports, she said, both individuals were questioned, but were later released on police bail.

“We are, however, still waiting for the medical report (on the woman’s injuries) from the Health Ministry to assist in the investigations,” she told reporters at her office here on Thursday (Aug 10).

“But the IPs have been submitted to the legal division at the Sabah police headquarters in Kepayan here for advice on the next course of action,” Supt Kalsom added.

The woman, who only wanted to be known as Wong, had on Wednesday (Aug 9) said she felt her case was progressing slowly and urged the police to look thoroughly into the matter, saying she was only seeking justice.

Supt Kalsom said she understood Wong’s feelings but explained that police had procedures to follow.

“We must respect the process. The probe doesn’t depend on us alone because there are other factors involved like the medical report,” she said.

She said they were probing the woman’s reports against the husband under Section 323 of the Penal Code for voluntarily causing hurt together with Section 18A of the Domestic Violence Act.

As for the husband’s report, she said, the police were investigating the woman under Section 427 for causing damage to property.

At the press conference organised by the Kota Kinabalu Parti Warisan division on Wednesday, Wong said she first lodged a report against her husband on April 19, alleging that she was assaulted at their home here.

Wong said, however, she withdrew the report the following day after her husband apologised.

But on July 4, she lodged a fresh report claiming that she was assaulted by her husband again after a quarrel between them at his office here.

She lodged the third report on July 18 after she was allegedly roughed up by her husband again at their house, Wong added.

The next day, Wong said, she lodged another report to reinstate the one on April 19, so that the police could look into her case.

The husband had in turn lodged a report against her on July 25, alleging that she damaged property during their quarrel at his office.

Supt Kalsom explained that police considered the April 19 report dropped after Wong had withdrawn it.

On the interim protection order (IPO), she said Wong must inform the police if she needed one.

“We would have referred her to the Welfare Department to obtain the IPO from the court because that is the procedure. It would be the same with a permanent protection order (PPO).

“But we have informed the woman of her rights,” she said.

Kota Kinabalu Warisan deputy chief Melanie Chia had said the law required an IPO for the alleged victim pending the full investigation into the case.

She said she was surprised that no IPO had been issued for Wong, adding the police were supposed to assist the victim to file such an application and obtain an IPO from the court.