The body of Corporal Raju Karno Rano Karno being flown to his hometown in a Nuri helicopter at the Lahad Datu airport about 6.30pm yesterday.
LAHAD DATU: A soldier was killed while another suffered injuries after one of their colleagues fired five shots at random yesterday, believed due to some misunderstanding with his team at a mortar outpost in Felda’s Sabahat 22 in Cenderakasih, about 100km from here.
Corporal Raju Karno Rano Karno, who is from Pulau Gaya near here, died of a gunshot wound to his neck while being rushed to the Lahad Datu hospital at 2.45am. The injured victim, Corporal Julian Janang from Sarawak, was shot in his leg.
District police chief ACP Hamzah Ahmad yesterday said the 23-year-old suspect was now under their custody to facilitate investigation into the case.
“We have received an information on the incident at 4.56am saying that about 12.30am, an Armed Forces member has fired five shots randomly at the Armed Forces post, Sahabat 22 Desa Kencana.
“According to the complainant, he was in the dining tent when the post’s lamp was suddenly switched off.
“He later heard several shots from the generator and immediately ordered his members to take cover,” he said.
Once the situation calmed down, the unit leader with his two members went to the generator and found the suspect standing while holding a M4 Carbine rifle.
It was learnt that the soldier was arrested after the unit leader and two members sneaked up on him before disarming and capturing him.
The unit leader ordered the suspect to lay down his arm and to lie face down.
He later ordered his members to gather at the dining tent for inspection and upon inspection found Raju Karno and Julian injured in the incident.
“Both of the victims were taken to the Lahad Datu Hospital for treatment.
However, Raju Karno, who was injured on his neck, died while on their way to the hospital, he said.
Hamzah added that further investigation was still ongoing under Section 302 of the Penal Code.
Meanwhile, Eastern Sabah Security Commander Datuk Abdul Rashid Harun said that the incident was not an attack on the outpost and an investigation was underway to determine why the soldier started shooting at the outpost.
“I do not want to speculate why he started shooting. We are leaving it to the police to investigate,” he said.
Sabah Deputy Commissioner Datuk Awang Shaari said they were still ascertaining the exact chain of events that led to the shooting.
He did not discount the possibility of an argument between the suspect and the victims.