Police Say The Sarawakian Who Claimed He Lured People Into Selling Their Kidneys Was Lying

In a statement today, 26 August, Sarawak Police Commissioner Aidi Ismail said that claims about the Sarawakian, identified as Shaifullizan Abdul Mutalib, being an international human organ trader are untrue.

According to Aidi, a detailed investigation by the department found that the 48-year-old's claim to have been involved in buying and selling human organs is false, reported Bernama.

He said that none of the testimonies obtained by the investigating team pointed towards the suspect's involvement in the organ trade as claimed by the foreign newspaper on 8 August.

The Sun, which is a UK-based tabloid newspaper, had "exposed" Shaifullizan for his alleged involvement in an international organ trafficking racket for which he claims to have brokered sales of 45 kidneys.

However, the Sarawak Police Commissioner said that the man had lied to The Sun.

"Our investigation also found that the suspect had made false claims during his interview with The Sun. We have also reached out to the reporter in the interview who gave his full cooperation to the police," he said.

The man was under remand since 14 August after being arrested on 13 August.

On 21 August, his previous remand order was extended for five days and it was scheduled to expire today, 26 August, when he was re-arrested at about 11am in connection with a 2013 case.

He is said to have allegedly committed CBT when he was working with the Sarawak Insolvency Department in 2013 and issued several of the department's payment vouchers worth a total of RM249,101.25 to individuals who were not related to the department, according to a report in Borneo Post Online.

"An investigation paper on CBT was sent to the state deputy public prosecutor on Monday, 24 August, and a decision has been made to charge the suspect under Section 409 of the Penal Code," Aidi said.

Section 409 of the Penal Code is criminal breach of trust by a public servant or agent and carries imprisonment for a minimum of two years and a maximum of twenty years and with whipping and fine.

The Sarawak police will charge him on Thursday, 27 August.

In its report on 8 August, the UK's tabloid newspaper had said that the man from Kuching, Sarawak is involved in organ trafficking by luring poor victims from around the world to sell their organs.

The man bragged about masterminding 45 illicit kidney sales, according to The Sun.

Describing him as a "sinister broker" who could arrange illegal transplant tourism packages for British people at GBP85,000 (RM465,923), the newspaper said that the man uses Facebook to lure his victims.

"The Malaysian, who has no medical experience, says he has more than 100 worldwide potential kidney sellers on his books, sourced through his Facebook page. And he claims to have been contacted by at least five Britons offering to sell their organs," the report said, adding that the 48-year-old claims to have been approached on Facebook by another British national wanting to buy a kidney.

"We are very sceptical of the revelation, therefore we will ensure that such sensational news is thoroughly investigated," he was quoted as saying by Harian Metro on Thursday, 13 August.

According to the top cop, the exposé has clearly affected the country's image.