The police have taken a statement from a lawyer over allegations that an arresting officer had only tendered to the court half the amount of money which he confiscated at an illegal gambling joint.

A team of three police officers from the Kuantan police headquarters disciplinary division met with lawyer P Uthayakumar for almost two hours yesterday regarding the matter.

Uthayakumar, the secretary-general of the yet to be registered Parti Rakyat Insan Malaysia (Prim), had written a letter to the Inspector-General of Police on Dec 8 last year alleging a police officer known only as ASP Mansur had failed to submit to the court the full amount of RM8,000 confiscated from eight men arrested for illegal gambling.

Uthayakumar, writing in his capacity as the legal adviser of Prim's Police Watch and Human Rights Committee, said that he received a phone call from his friend Eric Chee Kok Choy at about 9am on Dec 1 last year.

He added that he was told that Chee and seven others were detained by the police at the Bentong police station on suspicion of taking part in an illegal gambling session in Taman Goh Tong Jaya in Genting Highlands.

Half the amount tendered

Uthayakumar said that he was then informed by Chee on Dec 3 that of the RM8,000 confiscated, only RM4,000 were tendered to the Bentong magistrate's court where they were charged for illegal gambling.

Uthayakumar wrote to the IGP to inquire what has happened to the other "missing" RM4,000.

As a result of his letter, a statement was taken by ASP Zulkarnain Zakaria from Uthayakumar in which he repeated his statement made in the letter.

In his statement, a copy of which was made available to malaysiakini, Uthayakumar also said he was informed by Chee that ASP Mansur had taken all the money to another room when they were detained on Dec 1.

Uthayakumar also said that he did not know how Chee knew that the amount taken by Mansur totalled RM8,000.

Helping a friend

Asked by the police if Chee told him (Uthayakumar) of seeing Mansur taking the RM4,000, Uthayakumar told them to "refer that question to Chee".

He clarified that Chee was his former housemate who called him to seek legal assistance following the arrest on Dec 1.

"I then informed him that I had already asked a lawyer from Bentong to represent Chee and his friends," said Uthayakumar.

Uthayakumar also said that he had not asked Chee or the other lawyer if complaints were made to the court regarding the "missing" amount.

Chee and his friends pleaded guilty to taking part in an illegal gambling session and were fined RM500 each by the Bentong magistrate's court on Dec 3 last year.