Imam slapped: Suspect remanded for 14 days

By:
Azizi Sunip

Police say that when the arrest was made, the suspect was not in possession of any travel or valid identification documents and his housemate had to surrender a passport to the police. — File pic

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 19, 2015:

A suspect from India, who was alleged to have slapped the National Mosque’s second Imam, Mohd Zuhairee Mohd Yatim, has been remanded for 14 days starting today to assist in investigations.

Dang Wangi district police chief ACP Zainol Samah said that when the arrest was made, the suspect was not in possession of any travel or valid identification documents.

“A passport belonging to a suspect was surrendered to police by his housemate on Friday at 10.30 pm at the Jalan Tun HS Lee Police Station where he was being held,” said Zainol in a statement today.

Police are inspecting the suspect’s travel documents and are conducting checks with the Immigration Department to determine the authenticity of the passport.

Based on the passport, the suspect entered Malaysia on June 18 on a social visit pass which had not been renewed.

Yesterday, Friday prayers at the National Mosque were interrupted half way and had to be repeated when Mohd Zuhairee, who was leading the ma’mun (congregation), was slapped by one of the jemaah (congregation members).

The incident occurred during the first rakaat when the priest was reciting a verse from Surah al-Fatihah, during which the suspect was said to have stepped to the front of the congregations and slapped the Imam.

The suspect was then taken out of the mosque and handed over to the traffic police on duty.

Source therakyatpos.com