It was a short-lived freedom for self-proclaimed Lebanese 'billionaire' Elie Youssef Najem today. Before he could step out of one police station on police bail, he was taken to another police station where he was re-arrested.

Elie had been in police custody since Jan 15 for fraud related charges and was released on police bail of RM500 at about 3pm today at the Bukit Perdana commercial crime federal headquarters in Kuala Lumpur. His in-law's posted his bail.

Appearing to have lost weight and sporting a new ponytail, Elie was talking to newsmen for about five minutes when several policemen approached and told him he was to be taken to the Dang Wangi district police station to have his statement recorded.

Before he allowed himself to be escorted into an unmarked van, a commotion broke out when Elie demanded to know why he had to be taken to another police station.

"Are you going to take me to Dang Wangi to beat me up like before?" barked the usually soft- spoken Elie at a police officer.

As he hobbled into the van, Elie, 45, was asked by a reporter if he was kicked during police custody, to which he merely nodded with a worried look. Elie was hospitalised last week for an unknown cause.


'I am glad'

Dang Wangi deputy police chief Supt Rodzi Ismail later confirmed that Elie had been arrested under Section 506 of the Penal Code for criminal intimidation.

He said that there were "a few" police reports made against Elie sometime last year but declined to elaborate. He also refused to elaborate why Elie was hospitalised for four days after his arrest on Jan 15.

Rodzi said police would seek a remand order tomorrow to facilitate investigations, but declined to elaborate further on the allegations made against Elie.

Earlier at Bukit Perdana, Elie had told reporters he was happy Bukit Aman was investigating his case. "I am glad that Bukit Aman (federal police headquarters) have taken charge of the investigations. Any other investigation that is not by Bukit Aman is jeapordising my life," he claimed.

Elie also alleged that several individuals have colluded with the police in order to frame him up. Present at Bukit Perdana were his lawyer M Manoharan, his 19-year-old Malaysian wife Farinnie Farid and his in-law's Mohd Farid Abdullah and Sofiah Shauket Md Hashim.

When met at the Dang Wangi district police station later, Elie seemed calmed and composed.

"Let the police do their investigations. I have faith in them," he told reporters.

Elie made newspaper headlines after announcing a "donation" of US$275 million (RM1.03 billion) to the National Cancer Council (Makna) to build a cancer treatment and research hospital earlier this month.