Cop who nabbed Selva recalls shocking finds, says he’s not changed
FreeMalaysia Today
It's like scenes straight out of a psychological thriller, as retired policeman Brian Thomas remembers the shocking tales he heard from victims of the Malaysian serial rapist.
PETALING JAYA: A retired police officer who was tasked with investigating Malaysian serial rapist Selva Kumar Subbiah more than two decades ago has warned that he still poses a threat upon his return to Malaysia.“If he were to stay in Malaysia or God knows where, even at his age, will he continue? Yes,” said Brian Thomas, who alongside his partner Peter Duggan helped nab the now 56-year old whom Canadian authorities have said was the country’s most dangerous sex offender.
“We have to remember, this is not about sex. It’s about power and control, and he had total power and total control over his women,” Thomas told Cancrime, a crime blog run by award-winning Canadian investigative journalist, Rob Tripp.
Selva Kumar is in Malaysia, after serving 24 years in a Canadian prison.
In 1992, he was found guilty of 19 counts of sexual assault, 28 counts of administering a drug or noxious substance, 10 counts of various kinds of assault and a dozen other charges, including extortion.
During a parole board meeting last week, Selva Kumar said he had a “structured release plan” for his freedom in Malaysia as well as “strong family support”.
“Bullshit,” said Thomas when asked about the assurance, but added that he was aware of Selva Kumar’s affluent background, “a wealthy family in Malaysia”.
Worst ever
In the 35-minute audio interview with Cancrime, Thomas recalls shocking tales of horror from more than 500 women the police had interviewed.
He said the case involving Selva Kumar was the worst he had seen in his 30-year career of dealing with dangerous criminals.
“On (a scale of) one to 10, I’d put him at 15.”
Thomas recalled an incident he discovered during the course of investigations, one in which Selva Kumar had almost convinced a 13-year old girl, who he tried to procure for prostitution, to commit suicide by jumping off from the rooftop of a building.
“(He told her), wait till I get down there so I can watch,” he said, adding that the girl suddenly changed her mind.
This was among 75 crimes Selva Kumar was charged with.
1,500 names and pictures
He said many of Selva Kumar’s victims had their lives torn apart, with some of them going through suicide, alcoholism, drug abuse and attempted suicide as a result of the trauma of their experience.
He said when Selva Kumar’s house was raided, police discovered photographs and videos of his victims, and several books including “one big black-and-red book”, in which he “rated” each of them.
Thomas estimated some 1,500 names of women in the books, as well as their pictures plastered on the wall.
He said police interviewed more than 500 women from Selva’s lists, and 120 of them had agreed to testify in court against Selva.
He said the victims were young ladies, who among others included wives of police officers, lawyers and journalists.
He said many of the victims were not aware they were drugged after they were lured into thinking he was a modelling agent.
Rich pretty accomplice
One victim, said Thomas, had described to police how she fell into a coma before waking up to find herself being raped.
“Water was dripping on her and she felt like she was under a waterfall. And then her eyes opened. He was on top of her violating her and there was sweat dripping on her face.
“And then she passed out again as a result of the drug,” he said, adding that he would then take them back home before the victims would wake up thinking they had a “bad dream”.
Another victim related to police how one morning she woke up to find what looked like someone’s pubic hair on her bed.
Thomas said Selva Kumar had a female accomplice “who came from a very rich, affluent family”.
He described the accomplice as “a young, attractive, blonde, well-dressed woman” who went by the nickname “Laura”, and who would approach young women to invite them to work for her boss.
However, the female accomplice was not charged as she had agreed to testify against him, much to the police’s disappointment, said Thomas.
11 Things Every Malaysian Should Know About Selva Kumar The Serial Rapist
He is now staying in the Klang Valley.
- Dubbed as Canada's "worst serial rapist", Selva Kumar Subbiah, who returned to Malaysia on 7 February, will be staying in the Klang Valley under close monitoring by the police, IGP Khalid Bakar said
- The police cannot make Selva wear a tracking device as he is now entitled to live as a free man after serving his sentence, but he has willingly agreed for the police to monitor him, despite not being required by the country's law to report to the police.
"I would like to assure the public not to worry about his stay in the area," IGP said.
Below we are going to list down the things every Malaysian should know about Selva.says.com
1. One of his victims was a 13-year-old girl, whom he raped
- Serial rapist, Selva Kumar Subbiah, photograhed by FMT at KLIA upon his arrival.
2. He was found guilty in 1992 by an Ontario court on 19 counts of sexual assault, 28 counts of drugging his victims, 10 counts of various kinds of assault and 12 other charges including extortion
3. However, the Toronto police alleges that Selva sexually assaulted approximately 1,000 women across Canada in the late 1980s
- Selva was arrested on 7 August 1991.
4. He spent 24 years in a Canadian prison for his crimes
5. Worryingly, authorities in the prison where Selva was for 24 years says that he is unrepentant and is likely to rape and molest again
- He has been said to struggle with victim empathy, remorse and the inability to take full responsibility for his personal choices which results in his lack of mitigation for risk.says.com
- The Kingston Penitentiary in Kingston, Ontario, Canada, where Selva was serving his time.
6. However, a close family friend, while speaking to FMT, said that the serial rapist has repented and has promised not to re-offend
7. It should be noted that during his prison time in Canada, the convicted rapist not only resisted treatment he even continued to deny that he has caused any serious harm or injury to his victims
- He was initially due for automatic release in January 2009 but was deemed too dangerous to be released and so his sentence was ordered to be extended.says.com
8. Additionally, he wanted to block reporting of the details of his hearing and latest photo, claiming it will be dangerous for him
9. Selva comes from a wealthy family and was a former Penang Free School student. His late father was a senior govt officer.
- According to the close family friend who spoke to FMT, Selva was sent to Canada as a student in 1980 because his family found him to be "a handful".
His visa was extended after he was sponsored by his wife, a Canadian woman.says.com
10. Susan Chapelle, one of the victims whom Selva raped when she was 21 in 1991, said she would never forgive him for his sins
- "If it was only myself, and a mistake that has been rehabilitated, I would be able to forgive. But I cannot forgive a man who serially drugged, raped and photographed women," she told The Malay Mail Online after learning about his release.says.com
11. Contrary to the PDRM, Susan believes Malaysians should not turn a blind eye on Selva and that he should be treated with caution
- "Malaysia needs to understand that Selva is a repeat offender and a violent man," The Malay Mail Online quoted Susan as saying. She works as a city councillor in Squamish.says.com
- A journalist looks at a photo of convicted serial rapist Selva Kumar Subbiah on her phone at KLIA in Sepang.
- With his return to Malaysia, Selva Kumar is now the third convicted criminal after MARA Scholar Nur Fitri and the disgraced Malaysian envoy Mohammed Rizalman who have come back to the country
