JOHOR BARU: Police are conducting a transparent and comprehensive investigation on Mila Sharmila Samsusah or Bella's murder.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain said this when denying a claim made by her family, who had said police were slow in reacting and in solving the case.
He also said the main suspect in the murder of the 32-year-old single mother was not given any special treatment.
"No, the primary suspect was not given any special treatment. The investigation is being carried out in stages.
"First, we investigated it under Section 365 of the Penal Code for kidnapping or abducting with intent to secretly and wrongfully confine a person. However when the statements and evidence was not enough, we allowed bail but we did not release the suspect.
"Because we were not satisfied with initial investigations, it continued. Thanks to efforts by the Johor police, specifically Batu Pahat police, we finally managed to find new evidence."
He said the discovery of new evidence and statements enabled police to rearrest the suspect and investigations are being carried out under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder.
"It was not because we released the suspect, but because we gave him the opportunity to perform the umrah," he said.
Bella's remains were found in an abandoned house in Kampung Batu 7, Tongkang Pechah, Batu Pahat on Jan 19 more than a month after she had gone missing.
On Sunday, Bella's sister Norhisham, 36, questioned the police's handling of the investigation.
She had claimed that the invetigating officer declined to meet, apart from questioning the police decision to release the suspect for being sick due to high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diebetes.
Admitting that the family were very disappointed, Norhisham, whose nickname is Ayu, said that she and Bella were close and that the last time they were in contact with each other was at 11.38pm on Dec 14, which was the day she went missing.
Norhisham had also claimed that she went to the Johor police headquarters and to the police station to inform that Bella's disappearance had criminal elements and that she believed her sister's life had been at stake.