ANN/THE STAR – At least 13 children of the 402 rescued in police raids on 20 GISB-linked care centres may have been sexually assaulted, even as wellbeing checks continue on the other 392 children.
Malaysian Police Inspector-General (IGP) Razarudin Husain said initially police discovered that only four victims were believed to have been sodomised.
“However, after screenings were conducted (at the Police Training Centre), we discovered nine others were believed to have been sodomised as well.
“So far, we are investigating allegations of sexual assaults on 13 children, in their teens,” he told a press conference at the Police Training Centre (Pulapol) on Friday.
The IGP said the investigation is being conducted under Section 14 of the Sexual Offences against Children Act 2007.
Razarudin said the police have so far screened the rescued children and discovered at least 10 of them were autistic, disabled and sick.
“We are conducting further screening on the remaining 392 children – 202 boys and 190 girls – to assess their mental and physical wellbeing as well as their growth,” he said.
“The ones with autism, disabled and sick have been handed over to the Welfare Department for care and further action.
Razarudin said police discovered old and new injuries as well suffered by the children.
“That is why we must conduct further assessments to gauge how the children are emotionally affected,” he said.
LEFT SINCE TWO-YEARS-OLD
Many of the 402 children rescued from raids were left there since they were two years old, said Razarudin.
He said initial investigations found that the children were believed to be third- or fourth-generation GISB members.
“We believe they were left at the care centres since they were two.
“At age two, they were separated from their parents, who went to countries such as Saudi Arabia and Turkiye for up to six years.
“We believe some of the children have not seen their parents for years.
“We are investigating child abandonment as a possible offence as well,” he told the Friday press conference.
He said police were still investigating whether the parents acted on their own accord to leave the children behind, or were ordered to do so by the GISB leadership.
The IGP said some of the rescued children had identification documents while some did not.
“However, we are conducting further screening and interviewing the detained caretakers as well.
“We won’t stop until we find the children’s documents,” he said.
On Wednesday, police rescued 402 children, comprising 201 boys and 201 girls aged between one and 17, from care homes in Selangor and Negri Sembilan in a rescue operation codenamed Ops Global.
A total of 171 suspects aged between 17 and 64 were arrested, including a teacher and dormitory caretakers.
