A police sub-inspector was recently promoted as officer-in-charge (OC) for Kyauk Nimaw village tract in Rambree Township. But according to a police aid, who didn’t want their name used, the former sub police inspector paid a bribe in order to transfer to Maungdaw.
According to the law, police officers have to wait for two years to transfer to another posting. “How can he is able to transfer to Maungdaw again within half a year?” asked the police aid.
It’s alleged that U Than Tin paid 20 million Kyat to the State Police Commissioner of Sittwe (Akyab) using money that he extorted from Rohingya following the sectarian violence in Arakan state in June and October.
“During the violence, he took a lot of money from the Rohingya community. Now he wants to transfer to Maungdaw Town after bribing his boss,” said the police aid.
When U Than Tin was previously stationed in Taungbro he was notorious for extorting money from the community, according a trader who didn’t want their name used.
Another police officer named U Tin Hla was also recently transferred to Buthidaung Township from Maungdaw Town police station. Before the transfer, the officer allegedly built a three-storied building that a business man, who didn’t want his name used, claims he also got by extorting victims of the sectarian violence.
Both U Than Tin and U Tin Hla stole from Rohingya villagers last June. They would arrest them and release them if they paid hefty bribes, according the business man.
Burma’s President Thein Sein recently gave an order to form an organizing action committee to combat corruption in the country.
A Maungdaw politician, who spoke on condition of anonymity, would like to see the committee do something about these alleged illegal police transfers.
“We urge the Organizing Action Committee Against Corruption to address the issues of paying bribe and to take action against the culprits.”
