Bank manager murder: Killer hired for RM38,000?

by Raymond Tan and Wilson Kong, reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on August 17, 2012, Friday

WELL-GUARDED: The suspected mastermind (left) is taken to court.

SIBU: The police are probing whether a killer was hired to murder bank manager Stephen Wong for RM38,000 in what has been described as a crime of passion.

There are also claims the prime suspect would have received over RM28,000 if the 31-year-old was only permanently disabled in the attack.

Theories are rampant that the complex plot behind the crime grew when his marriage hit rock bottom, although the couple is said to have been in the process of working out a separation before he was murdered on June 14.

Questions are now being asked on how the 26-year-old male friend of Wong’s widow was involved and whether it was because the separation process had not proceeded smoothly.

A source said the prime suspect could have accepted the assignment from the male friend because he was heavily in debt.

Sibu folk are watching the developments of the investigation closely as what was planned to look like a killing resulting from armed robbery is now believed to be an intricately planned murder.

Local police are being assisted in the investigation by forensics experts from Kuching and Bukit Aman.

There have been claims that a lie detector was also brought in to hasten the probe, with no stone being left unturned in the search for the truth.

So far police have confirmed that six suspects have been arrested to help with the investigation.

They are Wong’s 29-year-old widow, her male friend and four other men, who were arrested after the two friends were held for questioning.

One of the four men has reportedly admitted his involvement in the murder.

Police are determining whether the prime suspect had gone to Wong’s house with three others when Wong returned late that fateful night.

There is a claim the prime suspect entered the house alone while the trio kept watch outside.

Yesterday, the man led police to his house, where they tried to find the murder weapon and other evidence.

The prime suspect is believed to have disposed of the weapon as well as a pair of gloves and shirt which he wore to commit the crime, but police managed to seize his pants, a pair of socks and shoes.

There is also a claim that murder plans were communicated through text messages and police are apparently looking for missing SIM cards.The pathologist report confirmed that Wong died of multiple stab and slash wounds on his chest, neck and stomach, with defensive cuts on both his arms.

Police found the victim in a pool of blood in his bedroom. Only Wong’s widow and three-year-old son were at home then.

She told police she was awakened by a commotion when Wong struggled with an intruder.

The widow also claimed she could not see the intruder in the dark and when she switched on the light he fled.

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