SANDAKAN: Police have arrested 10 individuals, including two primary suspects, following the brutal murder of a 62-year-old woman whose decomposing body was discovered bound inside a toilet in Tanah Merah, Jalan Leila.
The victim, who lived alone in a two-storey wooden house, was found with her hands tied behind her back and her head covered with a cloth. Investigators believe she had been dead for several days prior to the discovery on Aug 19.
OCPD ACP George Abd Rakman said members of the public alerted police at 8.10pm after detecting a foul stench emanating from the premises, leading officers to discover the victim’s body inside the toilet.
Acting swiftly, the Sandakan Criminal Investigation Division and the Sabah forensic team rounded up the 10 suspects in less than 24 hours. The suspects comprise five men and five women aged between 10 and 39, all related to one another. Seven are locals while the remaining three are Filipino nationals.
Initial police investigations suggest the incident stemmed from a dispute over payment for renovation work on the victim’s house, alongside resentment over housing costs.
“The suspects were also believed to be dissatisfied after the victim increased the monthly rent for the house they were living in,” George said.
Police seized a wooden stick believed to have been used in the crime, as well as several personal belongings belonging to the victim that had been taken by the suspects.
The case is being investigated under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder, which carries capital punishment or lengthy imprisonment upon conviction. – James Leong
Sandakan Policemen investigating at the crime scene.
