JOHOR BARU: A Singaporean debt collector, who moonlights as a social media influencer, is believed to be on the run after allegedly assaulting his 21-year-old employee in a brutal attack at Plaza Sentosa in Taman Pelangi here on Sept 6.
The victim, who lodged a police report on Sept 7, claimed he was beaten and stabbed in the eye with a broken bottle after he was accused of stealing a vape device.
Gruesome images of the victim seeking treatment at a Johor Baru hospital have since gone viral online.
One of his eyes was blood-red, his head partly shaved to stitch deep wounds, while bruises and more stitches were visible on his body and fingers.
The New Straits Times learnt the suspect allegedly smashed a bottle before using the jagged edge to stab the victim in one eye and jabbed him repeatedly across the body.
Johor Baru South police chief Assistant Commissioner Raub Selamat confirmed the report and said the case is being investigated under Sections 326 and 394 of the Penal Code for causing grievous hurt and robbery with hurt.
“For now, we only have one side of the story. Investigations are still ongoing, and we will know the full picture once the suspect in his 40s is caught,” Raub said.
Sources told NST that the Singaporean has since gone into hiding.
NST traced the debt-collecting agency linked to the suspect through a Singapore phone number advertised on social media.
When contacted, the call was abruptly cut off and subsequent attempts to reconnect failed.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
