12-year-old girl likely to have been raped and murdered
SARATOK: The naked body of a 12-year-old girl – believed to be the victim of a violent rape and murder – was found dumped on the grass verge near the junction of Jalan Roban-Selalang in Sungai Pasir, Kabong yesterday.
Family members identified the victim as Rinnie Tiew from Rumah Nunong, Sungai Mengeris, Nyabor, Kabong.
She had just completed her primary education at SK Engkabang, Nyabor, Roban and obtained her Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) results two weeks ago.
When met at the Saratok Hospital mortuary, her father Tiew Ku Tey, 47, said he, Rinnie, and his son Ragai had on Friday night joined a group of residents from their longhouse to attend the wedding of a relative at Rumah Robert in Sungai Pasir, about 15 minutes away by road.
Tiew said he had gone in a relative’s car, while Rinnie rode pillion with her brother around 8pm.
He said the celebrations had continued until morning, but he had retired around 3am.
According to him, Rinnie and Ragai had been on their own throughout the party.
Around 6.30am, he said longhouse folk had woken him up to convey the shocking news.
“In disbelief, I immediately rushed to the scene, located just a few metres from Rumah Robert, to discover her naked lifeless body by the roadside,” he said.
“The right side of her face and eye were swollen and bloody. I could also see bruises on both her legs. She must have been battered to death.”
A report was filed at the Kabong police station and an investigation team was immediately dispatched to the scene.
The police then transported Rinnie’s body to the Saratok Hospital mortuary for a post-mortem.
When contacted, Saratok district police chief DSP Lee Thai Lein said the case would only be classified after the investigation is completed and would also depend on the outcome of the post-mortem.
Rinnie was the youngest among three brothers and three sisters.
She was last seen wearing white trousers with black stripes and a dark blue T-shirt.