TASEK GELUGOR: A man whose Facebook post falsely claimed that a woman was driving under the influence of alcohol when she met with an accident here, has been detained by police.
The man's post, relating to a Kia Spectra's collision with two motorcycles last Thursday, inflamed sentiments, and led to the car being set ablaze by a group of outraged individuals.
Seberang Prai Utara district police chief Assistant Commissioner Noorzainy Mohd Noor said that the 33-year-old was detained at Padang Menora here yesterday, and that his smartphone was seized for investigation.
"(The man) admitted to uploading the post without checking or verifying (the facts) with authorities," he said in a statement today.
The case is being investigated under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act (MCMC) and Section 505(c) of the Penal Code.
Two other men – brothers of the two motorcyclists who were injured in the Thursday accident – were also detained.
Noorzainy said that the duo, aged 19 and 29, had posted "aggressive" comments about the accident on Facebook; while one is believed to have recorded and uploaded footage of the car being set alight.
"However, they are yet to cooperate with us, to tell us who (was behind the act of arson)," he added.
The brothers are being investigated under Section 435 of the Penal Code.
All three suspects are expected to be taken to the Butterworth Court today for a remand order.
The accident on Thursday night saw the Kia Spectra veer into the opposite lane of Jalan Ara Kuda here, causing two motorcyclists to ram into the vehicle. Both motorcyclists, who are brothers, were left seriously injured.
Four hours after the accident, the car, which was still at the accident site, was set on fire by unknown individuals who suspected the Kia Spectra driver of having been drunk.
However, the 56-year-old driver had passed a breathalyser test and police had ruled out drunk driving in the case.
The accident occurred as the woman was returning home to Bumbung Lima after delivering vegetables in Kubang Semang at 9.50pm.
She was avoiding crashing into an animal which appeared in her lane when her vehicle skidded into the path of the two motorcyclists.