KOTA KINABALU: Sabah police have tightened border control amid reports that an escaped convict from southern Philippines has fled to Semporna.
Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Idris Abdullah said teams to tighten border control and investigate the matter were formed based on alerts from sources and counterparts in the Philippines.
“We take every piece of information seriously and act accordingly.
“We are on the lookout for this person but, so far, cannot verify whether he has indeed arrived in Sabah,” he said when contacted yesterday.
According to information, the alleged fugitive, Alnazar Jalilul (pic), who was jailed for murder, had broken out of the Tawi-Tawi prison on Sept 26.
It is said that after weeks of search operations, Philippine authorities spotted Alnazar with a cross-border criminal, Haibin Mubin, in Sitangkai in the Philippines early October.
It is learnt that raids were mounted to capture the duo.
Idris said information was that Haibin, who is on the Eastern Sabah Security Command wanted list, was eventually shot dead during a raid on Oct 16.
Alnazar is believed to have fled to Sabah’s Semporna district using a speedboat after Haibin’s death.
Word was that Alnazar had friends and relatives in Semporna and that he was planning to seek refuge from them.
“We got information of Alnazar’s alleged escape to Sabah on Oct 27 and immediately launched an operation to check on it,” Idris said.
He said border controls were tightened, alerts were heightened and all possible means to detect the fugitive’s possible entry into Sabah were used.
“However, as of now there is no confirmation of the fugitive actually entering and hiding in Semporna as suspected,” he added.
Idris said they were working closely with their Philippine counterparts to investigate the case.
