Maungdaw, Arakan State: Three police officers of Maungdaw were sacked from their positions on November 28, after an interrogation team found that they were involved in corruption, said a source close to police officers.
They were called by Tactical Operational Commander (TOC) of Buthidaung on November 28, and they returned to Maungdaw without wearing uniforms. But, they are still going trip in Maungdaw town with police car without uniforms. They are not arrested.
The three police officers were identified as Maungdaw District Police Chief U Aung Htay, Maungdaw Township Police Chief Tun Yee, and Maungdaw Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Nyi Lwin Soe.
A delegation of three members led by BSI officer of Arakan State arrived at Maungdaw Town on October 31 to query an extortion case of district police, township police officer and OC of Maungdaw Town.
The three officials were found in guilty by an investigation team namely Bureau Special Intelligence (BSI) came from Sittwee, the capital of Arakan State. During interrogation the said three officials had taken millions of kyat from Rohingya villagers as a bribe to evade arrest and torture, according to source of Nasaka (Burma's border security force).
There was a clash between police and villagers of Du Chee Yardan in September over mobile phone which was holding by villagers. Regarding this villagers were tortured and arrested by police. To evade from torture and arrest villagers gave kyat 10 million to the police officer as bribe not to harass them. This was led by Maulvi Ismail.
But, this was informed to Nasaka Director Commander Colonel Aung Gyi, the Nasaka Headquarters of Khyikan Pyin by a close aide of Nasaka Director.
But, Colonel Aung Gyi arrested the plaintiffs in stead of defendants and filed a complaint about the corruption with the high authorities after interrogation from arrestees. The Nasaka arrested Moulvi Ismail, hailed from Du Chee Yardan Village of Maungdaw Township including two other villagers and sent them to Nasaka Headquarters. The detainees are still in Nasaka headquarters' custody.
After taking money Office-in-Charge (OC) Nyi Lwin Soe of Maungdaw police station distributed some of the bribe money to the district police Chief and the township police Chief, according to sources.
The investigation team came to Maungdaw last week to investigate the accusations of bribery and confirmed that the three police officers had taken a bribe from the villagers.
