JOHOR BARU: Police have confirmed that the parents of six-year-old Albertine Leo Jia Hui, who was kidnapped last Saturday, did not recognise any of the five suspects currently detained in connection with the abduction.
Johor police chief Commissioner M Kumar said investigations were still ongoing to determine the motive behind the kidnapping.
"The investigation is ongoing, including establishing the motive for the kidnapping. Once the investigation is complete, we will provide updates on the findings.
"We are also looking into the relationships between the suspects," he said during a media briefing at the Johor contingent police headquarters (IPK) here today.
When asked about the possibility of further arrests, Kumar said it was premature to confirm.
"As I said, the investigation is ongoing. It is too early to say whether there will be additional arrests," he said.
Regarding the identity of the fifth suspect, who was seen wearing a Bon Odori festival outfit when apprehended by the police, which could suggest he was a vendor at the scene of the kidnapping, Kumar said that such attire could be worn by anyone.
Kumar also said the initial four suspects, currently in custody until tomorrow, would be released on police bail if further remand is not required.
"For the four suspects currently remanded until tomorrow, if deemed unnecessary, we will release them on police bail, based on the ongoing developments in the investigation."
Albertine Leo was reported missing around 8.30pm by her parents, who were operating a booth at the Bon Odori festival held at Eco Galleria business centre, Iskandar Puteri near here.
The case of her disappearance was later classified under Section 365 of the Penal Code for kidnapping and abduction. The first arrests were made involving three suspects last Monday.
Two men and one woman, aged between 28 and 55, were detained around 1.30pm in the Gelang Patah area, Iskandar Puteri, followed by another woman in her 40s apprehended in the same area at 12.15am on Tuesday.
The four local suspects were subsequently remanded for four days until tomorrow to facilitate further investigation.
Police later successfully rescued Albertine, who is the third child among four siblings, at a budget hotel in Batang Kali, Selangor around 4.45 am on Tuesday, before arresting the fifth suspect, a 31-year-old local man found with the victim.
The suspect is believed to have transported Albertine from Johor to Selangor by car.
The man was later brought to the Johor Baru Court and granted a seven-day remand until next Monday.
Albertine Leo has since been safely reunited with her family yesterday afternoon.