A woman believed to have mental health issues has been arrested after nearly three weeks of viral reports about a ‘ghost’ sighting on Jalan Austin Heights Utama.
The 31-year-old homeless woman, whose actions caused widespread concern, was apprehended last night at 10:51 PM.
She had been sought by the police since a video of her frightening road users went viral on July 27.
New Straits Times reports that Johor Baru (South) police chief, Assistant Commissioner Raub Selamat, provided details of the case during a press conference at the district police headquarters on the 18th August.
He explained that the woman had been pretending to be a ‘ghost’ in order to scare drivers.
After startling them, she would ambush their vehicles, kick them, and then fake injuries to demand money from the drivers, claiming compensation for the supposed accidents.
On July 27, the police received a viral video circulating on social media, showing someone resembling a ghost intimidating motorists along the roadside.
Polis menahan seorang wanita yang disyaki menyamar sebagai hantu di Jalan Austin Heights Utama, Johor Bahru Johor malam semalam.
Ketua Polis Daerah Johor Bahru Selatan, ACP Raub Selamat berkata, pihaknya menerima satu rakaman video tular di laman media sosial yang memaparkan… pic.twitter.com/q1FSE0Gxm5
— Malaysia Gazette (@MalaysiaGazette) August 18, 2024
In response, police patrols were conducted in an effort to locate and apprehend the suspect, but she managed to evade capture multiple times.
Officers on duty also reported that during these incidents, the woman would make eerie noises, further adding to the fear among road users.
Despite her swift escapes, the police successfully arrested her last night, confirming suspicions that she might be suffering from mental health issues, according to Malay Mail.
A background check revealed that the woman has a prior criminal record. She was fined RM1,000 on June 27, 2018, under Section 448 of the Penal Code.
Preliminary urine tests conducted after her arrest showed no traces of drugs in her system.
New Straits Times also reported that the medical records indicated that the suspect had been admitted to the yellow zone of Sultan Ismail Hospital (HSI) in both 2022 and 2023, due to accidents and depression.
The police have referred her to HSI for further mental health evaluation, and the results are awaited.
The case is currently being investigated under Section 186 of the Penal Code, Section 79(2) of the Road Transport Act 1987, and Regulation 23 of the Road Traffic Rules 1959.
Police have urged any road users who were extorted by the woman to come forward and file a report to aid in the ongoing investigation.
