Police arrest three suspects involved in shooting case, seize pistol, bullets

Penang police crime investigation chief Datuk Zakaria Ahmad said, acting on public tip-off and intelligence conducted, they raided a house in Jawi, Nibong Tebal near here on Nov 3 at 2.30am and arrested a couple, aged 26 and 35.

"Following their arrest, the police has seized a pistol allegedly used in the shooting, hidden in a hut in Bukit Mertajam to avoid being traced by the police," he told a press conference here today.

In the 5.20 pm incident, Yap Keng Hee was seriously injured after he was shot at close range while riding a motorcycle to go home and as a result the furniture factory's employee suffered injuries to the neck, shoulder and cheek.

The suspect who was riding on a motorcycle had followed the victim before firing three shots. The victim's motorcycle later skidded and hit the pillar of a house and fell while the suspect sped off.

Zakaria said the couple's arrest also led to the detaining of a man at Jalan Raja Uda, Butterworth on Nov 9 and the police had seized a pistol, 14 bullets and drugs from him.

He said the suspect, in his 30's, was believed to be involved in the case. "Initial investigations revealed that the shooting occurred when the 35-year-old suspect was angry at the victim after he knew that the main suspect had threatened and beat his fellow worker," he said, adding that the victim was said wanted to lodge a police report on the incident. Zakaria said based on the investigation, the unemployed trio also were believed to be the members of a drug trafficking syndicate which was active in the state.

He added the 35-year-old suspect had 12 previous records for criminal and drug offences, while another man had one previous record.