The Judiciary Police arrested a man from the Chinese mainland for falsely imprisoning and physically assaulting a fellow mainlander, in order to take revenge for blackmailing his girlfriend, who is also from the Chinese mainland, PJ spokesman Chao Teng Hin said during a regular press conference yesterday.
Chao identified the suspect as a 37-year-old man surnamed Qiu who claimed to be unemployed. The victim and suspect’s girlfriend are also middle-aged.
According to Chao, the Judiciary Police received a report from the Public Security Police (PSP) last Wednesday, in which the victim accused Qiu of falsely imprisoning and physically assaulting him.
After receiving the report, PJ officers rushed to a shop in the peninsula’s northern district where they arrested Qiu and his girlfriend.
According to Chao, the investigation revealed that the victim had previously learnt that Qiu’s girlfriend was suspected of operating an illegal meat smuggling business in Macau, and subsequently extorted a total of 2,500 yuan (2,988 patacas) from her on two separate occasions.
At around 7 p.m. last Wednesday, when the victim tried to extort money once again, Qiu, upon learning of the attempt, attacked the victim with a hammer in a parallel-trading den in the northern district, which was operating under the cover of a shop, Chao said, adding that the attack resulted in multiple bruises to the victim’s neck, both arms, and back. The suspect then did not allow the victim to leave the shop, according to Chao.
At around 11 p.m. that day, in order to secure his release, Chao said, the victim pretended to agree to accept 1,000 yuan as compensation for “medical expenses” and not to pursue the matter further. After the suspect paid the money, he allowed the victim to leave, according to Chao, adding that the victim then immediately reported the incident to the Public Security Police.
Qiu has meanwhile been transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP), facing charges of false imprisonment, physical assault and keeping an illegal weapon.
The Judiciary Police have opened a blackmail probe into the victim and referred a separate case involving Qiu’s girlfriend – suspected of running a parallel-trading den – to the Macau Customs Service.
Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Chao Teng Hin looks on during yesterday’s regular press conference. – Photo: Armindo Neves
This undated handout photo provided by the Judiciary Police yesterday shows a hammer seized from a parallel-trading den run by the suspect’s girlfriend.
