A drunken dispute between two foreign workers ended in tragedy after a 34-year-old man was allegedly stabbed to death before his body was dumped into a nearby drain at a construction site in Iramanis, Kota Kinabalu, early on Wednesday morning.
The incident, which occurred at around 1.30am behind a vehicle showroom, is believed to have stemmed from a misunderstanding while both men were intoxicated. The victim suffered four stab wounds before his body was discovered inside a drainage culvert near the scene.
Acting Kota Kinabalu District Police Chief Superintendent Syed Lot Syed Ab Rahman said police were alerted to the incident at about 1.40am, while an official police report was lodged at 2.23am.
Preliminary investigations found that the victim and the suspect had spent the day drinking alcohol in the Penampang area before returning to their workers’ quarters at around 11pm. Shortly afterwards, an argument broke out between the pair, escalating into a violent confrontation.
Police believe the victim struck the suspect with a wooden stick during the altercation. The suspect then allegedly retaliated by stabbing the victim four times with a vegetable knife before fleeing the scene.
The victim’s body was later recovered from a nearby drain and transported to the Hospital Queen Elizabeth I (HQE I) Forensic Department for a post-mortem examination. Officers from the Sabah Criminal Investigation Department’s Forensic Unit also carried out examinations at the crime scene as part of the ongoing investigation.
Authorities are actively tracking down the suspect and working to recover the weapon believed to have been used in the attack. The case is being investigated under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder.
Police have urged anyone with information related to the incident to contact investigating officer Assistant Superintendent Syed Abdul Rahman Syed Mohsin at 012-310 6882 or visit the nearest police station. Members of the public have also been advised not to spread unverified information or speculate about the case, as doing so could interfere with the investigation.
