Ranau court fines duo RM3,500 each after Sabah police link their wrist marks to illegal militant Philippine group

RANAU, Aug 17 — Roy Martin, a 35-year-old farmer, and Mohd Sharin Ibrahim, a 40-year-old tyre mechanic, were each fined RM3,500 by the Ranau Magistrate’s Court for their alleged membership in the illegal Philippine militant organisation, Kappa Rho Kappa (KRK). The court also ordered the defaulting fines be paid within six months or face imprisonment.

The charges were levied under Section 43 of the Societies Act 1966 following a police operation on June 5, 2026, at HH Rich, Kg Kinasaraban, Ranau, as part of operation Op Tik Tok (Gangsterism).

During the raid, investigators from the D7 Criminal Investigation Department of the Sabah Police Contingent Headquarters, led by Insp Jesmera bin Bandong, discovered distinctive cigarette-burn marks on the upper portions of the men's right wrists, believed to be connected to KRK membership. Police also seized mobile phones from the accused, which were found to contain videos allegedly depicting group-related content.

After verification by a gang-related crime expert, it was confirmed that one of the men was a member of the group. Further checks with the Registrar of Societies Malaysia (ROS) Sabah revealed that Kappa Rho Kappa (KRK) was not legally registered under the department.