HIGH-PROFILE MURDER PROBES : Police are still on it

By MOHD YAAKOB YUSOF

THE police gave an assurance yesterday that their investigation into the murder of eight-year-old Nurin Jazlin Jazimin is still ongoing.

Federal Criminal Investigations Department deputy chief (intelligence/operations) Datuk Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani stressed that the case is still open and police are looking into several leads.

In a statement faxed to The Malay Mail, he said that investigations into the murder of nine-year-old Preeshena Varshiny and other cases have never been closed. Acryl Sani issued the statement in response to reports in The Malay Mail yesterday, which highlighted calls by nongovernmental organisations and the public for regular updates on the cases from the police. Nurin, a Year Two pupil of Sekolah Rendah Kebangsaan Desa Setapak, was reported missing on Aug 20.

Her ravaged body was found in a sports bag near a flight of stairs at a three-storey building in Petaling Jaya Utama on Sept 17.

To date, no one has been charged in court in connection with her murder. Earlier this month, Preeshena was believed to have been raped, sodomised and thrown off the balcony of one of the units at a high-end condominium in Selayang.

In his statement, Acryl Sani said: “Police would also like to make it clear that although no statements were released of late on the developments of the investigations into these two cases (Nurin and Preeshena), it does not mean that the investigations have stopped.

“In fact, the task force set up to monitor Nurin’s case is still active and police are analysing information received from the public.”

Acryl Sani said it is not practical for police to keep on releasing statements every time new information is received.

“This does not mean that investigations have ceased and the victims forgotten,” he added.

Yesterday, The Malay Mail reported that the police’s silence of late on the progress of their investigations into the highprofi le murders had left the public and NGOs restless and worried.

NGOs felt that the public should be constantly updated.

They added that the apparent lack of updates would give criminals the impression that they can get away with murder.

- The Malay Mail