KOTA KINABALU: Police have arrested four people in connection with the death of three family members who were brutally murdered by a group of men armed with machetes at an oil palm plantation at Kampung Kalumpang, Semporna on Jan 22.
State Police Commissioner Datuk Hamza Taib said the suspects, all foreigners in their 20s and 30s, were arrested at an oil palm plantation in Tawau on Feb 3 and Feb 5.
“The first suspect was arrested on Feb 3 while the remaining three men were picked up on Feb 5. Police also seized a gunny sack that contained a samurai sword, two machetes and a sickle.
“Initial police investigation believed all four suspects were involved in the case,” he told reporters at the monthly gathering of the Royal Malaysia Police (RMP) at the Sabah police headquarters in Kepayan here yesterday.
Hamza said one of the attackers was killed during the incident while police are currently looking for eight others who police believed were involved in the murder of the three family members.
“We have already identified the remaining suspects who are still at large and we believe we will make an arrest soon,” he said.
The murder happened on Jan 22 when three family members were brutally murdered by a group of men armed with machetes at an oil palm plantation at Kampung Kalumpang in Semporna.
It is said that 11 men armed with machetes attacked Ismail Jaafar, 50, his wife Salmiah Iran, 46, and Ismail’s father Jaafar, 70, as they were resting with five others in the workers’ quarters in Kalumpang, about 20km from Semporna town.
The attack was believed to have been motivated by revenge.
One of the assailants, identified as Jul Mohd Nan, 37, was also killed following a struggle with one of the victims in the 5.30pm incident.
Jul’s remains had been returned to his village at Kg Tagasan Jaya, where he resided, by the group before they fled.
The bodies of Ismail and his father were found at the workers’ quarters while Salmiah’s remains were found in a nearby plantation at 3.40am the following day.
Police also believe that Salmiah had run to the plantation after escaping the attack but collapsed due to multiple slashes on her body.
Police also believe the group had rented a lorry to come to the plantation and the lorry owner had been detained to facilitate the investigation.