KULAI: Police rearrested a 59-year-old charity home caretaker in Taman Mas today, for allegedly assaulting a girl in his care, following the expiration of a remand order related to an ongoing rape investigation.
District police chief, Assistant Commissioner Tan Seng Lee said a remand order will be applied tomorrow to facilitate abuse investigations under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001 for exposing a child to danger and causing physical injuries.
He was initially arrested on Nov 30 to facilitate investigations for allegedly raping and impregnating a girl in the private-managed orphanage.
However, after the remand order on the rape investigations expired today, he was rearrested.
The suspect was in police custody when 58-second closed circuit television (cctv) footage of a man, canning a 10-year-old child, believed to be a resident in the home surfaced.
Following the caretaker's arrest, allegation for rape, abuse and assault were linked to home established in 2015 surfaced.
The home which is privately owned, housed 47 children including boys.
Most children are either orphaned, come from broken families, or have parents incarcerated due to criminal charges.
Johor Women, Family and Community Development committee chairman Khairin-Nisa Ismail has directed that the orphanage be kept under observation by Welfare Department officers.
The New Straits Times learnt that the state Welfare Department enforcement officers are thoroughly conducting investigations to establish if any conditions and licensing requirements set by the department under the Care Centres Act 1993, were violated.
Under the act, all charity homes are required to register with the department and have adequate and qualified staffing.
The homes must guarantee the safety, dignity, and well-being of its residents. If any of the regulations are breached, the operation may be suspended or its licence revoked.