RANAU: Two members of a secret society in the Philippines called Kappa Rho Kappa (KRK) have been arrested and remanded four days for promoting the organisation here.
The remand order was granted by the Ranau Magistrate’s Court following an application by investigating officers from the Criminal Investigation Department.
The Kota Kinabalu High Court had earlier this month jailed two other members of the Zamboanga-based group and a Google check reported that it has a chapter in Sabah.
An illustration of the group on Fb also shows a member revealing only the eyes and brandishing a machine gun. A purported membership card of the group carried the Malaysian Federal Government crest with a registration number which claimed that the group is registered with the Registrar of Societies.
According to investigation documents, the case originated from a police report lodged on June 5 after a complainant allegedly discovered videos on the TikTok platform showing two individuals purportedly promoting the secret society among locals.
Following the report, a special police team conducting anti-gangster operations launched an investigation which led to the arrest of the two suspects at a residence in Kampung Kinasaraban Pitas, Kundasang, at 10.50am on June 5.
During the operation, police seized two mobile phones believed to belong to the suspects. Preliminary investigations reportedly found several video recordings linked to the alleged promotion of the organisation.
Police observed three burn marks on the upper right wrist of each suspect, a feature investigators believe may be relevant to their ongoing inquiries.
The marks were documented as part of the investigation process and will form part of the evidence being examined by police.
Both suspects were subsequently taken to the Ranau District Police Headquarters for further questioning before being placed in police custody.
Police are investigating the case under provisions related to participation in and promotion of unlawful societies.
Investigators are also carrying out additional inquiries, including recording witness statements, obtaining fingerprints and photographs of the suspects, analysing the contents of the seized mobile devices and gathering intelligence on the alleged activities of the organisation.
Sources familiar with the investigation said authorities are also seeking to determine whether the suspects had any role in recruiting new members or promoting the organisation through online platforms.
The remand application stated that additional time was required to enable investigators to complete several aspects of the investigation, including the verification of digital evidence and the identification of other individuals who may be linked to the case.
The public are advised not to participate in or promote any unlawful organisations and are encouraged to provide information to the authorities should they come across activities that may violate the law.
