SEMPORNA - A man was arrested after he was believed to have raped an eight-year-old girl in Pekan Semporna on Thursday.
The 40-year-old suspect was arrested in a village in the district at about 2.30am on Friday after a police report was lodged by the victim's aunt.
Semporna district police chief Superintendent Mohd Farhan Lee Abdullah said the police report was made around midnight, the same day.
"The complainant said around 8.30pm, her niece was taken by a man in a four-wheel drive to an unknown location.
"About an hour later, her niece was found in a weak state behind a supermarket and the victim told her that she was raped by the suspect who dropped her off at the location," Mohd Farhan said in a statement.
The victim was then rushed to the Semporna Hospital before she was taken to Tawau Hospital for examination and further treatment.
"With the information, the police managed to arrest the suspect who is a local at an unnumbered house.
"The suspect was remanded until Oct 27 for further investigation.
"The case is investigated under Sec 376(2)(e) of the Penal Code for rape,” he said.
Mohd Farhan asked for anyone who witnessed the incident to come forward to assist in the investigation.
"Any information can be channeled to investigating officer Inspector Adham Ramli at 011-10145004 or inform any nearby police station," he said.