A local man has been arrested because his brother unwittingly transported a defecting member of the Border Guard Police in Maungdaw Township, Arakan State, said the detained man’s family.

U Maung Khin Hla, 43, from Min Kha Mauk village, was arrested over the defection of Police Second Lieutenant Kyi Tun from the Border Guard Police station at Wela Taung village in northern Maungdaw, said his wife Daw Sein Yaing.

“My husband was arrested by Khamaung Seik Border Guard Police station on December 1 at around 6 a.m. because my husband’s younger brother transported a police second lieutenant by motorbike from Wela Taung police station to Maungdaw town,” said Daw Sein Yaing.

U Maung Khin Hla is a farmer in Min Kha Mauk village, and his family have not been allowed to meet with him since he was arrested, family members said.

The defecting Border Guard Police officer had hired his younger brother, a motorcycle taximan, on November 30 to drive him to Maungdaw from Wela Taung, sources said.

“The detained man’s brother is a motorcycle taximan transporting people between Wela Taung and Maungdaw. On his way back to Maungdaw, the police officer told him to transport him to Maungdaw. Is he [the taximan] supposed to know whether the police officer was defecting or just travelling on duty?” said U San Shwe Hla, a resident of Min Kha Mauk village.  

“They’ve now arrested the taximen’s elder brother because they do not know where the taximan is. The elder brother did not make any mistake.”