Two married couples held over viral video of domestic helper assault, says Johor police chief

ISKANDAR PUTERI, June 14 — Two married couples were arrested yesterday to assist in investigations after a video showing domestic helpers being assaulted in Taman Johor near Tampoi went viral on social media.

Johor police chief Datuk Ab Rahaman Arsad said the couples, aged between 30 and 34, were arrested at a house in the residential area at about 7.30 pm by personnel from the Johor Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and the Johor Bahru Utara district police headquarters.

He said preliminary investigations revealed that the couples were living in the same house and that the female suspects were siblings.

According to him, the assault is believed to have involved three domestic helpers and is suspected to have taken place on July 26 last year.

“The video was recorded by one of the victims but only surfaced on social media yesterday. However, the motive behind the incident remains under investigation,” he told a press conference at the Iskandar Puteri district police headquarters here today.

He said the three domestic helpers, believed to be in their 20s, were suspected to have fled and are believed to still be in the country.

Meanwhile, Ab Rahaman said police had seized mobile phones, clothing belonging to the suspects, a closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera and the two domestic helpers’ passports.

He said all four suspects tested negative for drugs and had no prior criminal records. They have been remanded for four days, beginning today.

The case is being investigated under Section 323 of the Penal Code for voluntarily causing hurt, Section 506 of the Penal Code for criminal intimidation, Section 354 of the Penal Code for assault or use of criminal force with intent to outrage modesty, Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act, and Section 12(1)(f) of the Passports Act.

Several video clips went viral on social media yesterday, showing a group of individuals assaulting a female domestic helper who was seated on a sofa inside a house. — Bernama