TAWAU: Police have arrested a foreigner in connection with the rape of an underage teenager in Merotai Besar on Thursday.
The 20-year-old suspect was nabbed by a team from the Bombalai Police Station with the assistance of local residents. He was arrested in front of a house in Kampung Simpang Tiga, Merotai Besar.
The victim, a teenage girl, was allegedly raped by a man known to her at a relative’s home. A police report was lodged shortly after the incident.
Tawau OCPD ACP Jasmin Hussin confirmed the arrest and stated that the case is being investigated under Section 376 of the Penal Code. The suspect has been remanded for further investigation.
In a separate incident, the Sandakan Civil Defence Force (APM) was deployed to a construction site near Taman Harmoni, Mile 3, after a worker reported spotting a python beneath an excavator.
The two-metre-long reptile, weighing about 10 kilogrammes, was safely captured by APM personnel using specialised equipment. It was later released into a habitat far from residential areas.
No injuries were reported during the operation. Authorities reminded the public to remain cautious and to contact emergency services immediately if they encounter wild or venomous animals. – James Leong
Sandakan APM personnel and workers showing the captured python on Thursday.
