Man Arrested For Filing False Missing Persons Report To Shield His Kids From Debtors
The case is being investigated under the Child Act 2001 and Section 182 of the Penal Code.
By Aleya Natasha Mohd Ali — 18 Oct 2024, 02:19 PM
A man has been arrested for filing a false missing persons report claiming that his four children went missing in Mutiara Rini, Johor
According to the New Straits Times, the man, 41, allegedly committed the offence at the Iskandar Puteri police station on Thursday, 17 October.
"The father claimed that his children, aged between 2 and 8, went missing at the Mutiara Rini residential area," said Iskandar Puteri police chief ACP M Kumarasan.
"Investigators from the district criminal investigation department (CID) were tasked with locating them," he added.
However, suspicions aroused when the man was unable to provide his children's last known location
"The police later managed to locate the man's children, who were staying at his wife's residence," Kuamarasan said.
Further investigations revealed that the man was heavily in debt, he added.
It is understood that the suspect filed the false missing persons report to shield them from being harassed by debt collectors
The case is being investigated under Section 31(1)(a) Child Act 2001 for child neglect, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison or a fine of up to RM50,000.
The man is also being investigated under Section 182 of the Penal Code for making a false police report, which carries a penalty of up to six months in prison and a fine of up to RM2,000.
Kumarasan also urged the public to avoid making false police reports.
