Residents are paying a heavy price because of a corrupt Maungdaw District Police Commander, even though he has been given transfer orders, said an official from District Police Office.

The transfer order was issued by the Director General of Burmese Police on September 28 and he was told to move immediately, but the Maungdaw District Police Commander, Hla Myo Shine, asked for a week because he had to collect his monthly allowance (bribe) from his department, the official said.

Hla Myo Shine was posted as a District Police Commander one and-a-half years ago in Maungdaw. He is known as a corrupt officer, the official added.

A case was handed over to the District Police Commander by Burma’s border security force (Nasaka)’s director for fact-finding last month. The case related to looting of 500,000 Kyats from three local residents of Poungzarr (Ashika Para) by an Assistant Sub-Inspector (Surveillance Officer) Shwe Maung, said an aide of the Maungdaw Police station.

On August 28, Shwe Maung arrested three local traders, Moluvi Zahid Hussion, Yousuf and Anowar of Poungzarr (Ashika Para) from Maungdaw municipal market on allegations of drug trafficking, the aide said.

Shwe Maung found 500,000 Kyats in their pocket which he seized. The locals were released. The locals complained on August 29 to their area Nasaka Commander, Kyaw Aung who has a good rapport with these local residents. The case was transferred to the Nasaka Headquarters, said a local resident from Poungzarr village.

The case was again transferred to the District Police Commander and he found that his officer was guilty, but he did not report to the Nasaka Headquarters as he was also involved, said an officer from his office.

Now, the District Police Commander has been transferred to another township, and the locals have lost their money. ”This is only one case which was transferred from Nasaka Headquarters, but there are many cases like this,” said a school teacher from Maungdaw.

“Police are looting the Rohingya community on false cases and higher officers cover up. The looted funds are divided among them,” the teacher said.

“The District Police Commander is taking a stay order to collect his illegal funds,” the teacher added.