Man dies in brawl after child accused of theft

KENINGAU – A man dies after a brawl when a group of people confronted him and accuse his child of theft in a plantation area in Kampung Batu 27, Jalan Tenom-Keningau last Tuesday.

The victim, a 47-year-old Indonesian citizen, was found unconscious at 4pm before being pronounced dead at Keningau Hospital.

Keningau District Police Chief Superintendent Yampil Anak Garai stated that they received a report on the victim's death at 9.50pm.

He said that investigation revealed that a local man, who was patrolling the plantation area, found the victim lying unconscious but still breathing.

"The victim was taken to the hospital for further treatment, but the hospital confirmed that the victim had died due to brain haemorrhage, with a bump found on his right head.

"As a result of the incident, three individuals, including two women, were detained to assist in the investigation to locate the four main suspects involved in this case," he said when contacted by Sinar today.

Yampil added that acting on information, a team of police officers from the Criminal Investigation Division of the Keningau District Police Headquarters (IPD) managed to apprehend four Indonesian male suspects last Saturday.

"All suspects, aged between 17 and 37, were arrested between 8 am and 3 pm at the side of Kampung Bunga Raya road and in front of an unnumbered house in an oil palm plantation.

"From preliminary investigations, it is believed that a brawl erupted when all the suspects accused the victim's child of being a thief in the plantation area where they work and wanted an explanation.

However, a dispute arose among them, leading to the fight and the victim's death," he said.

In light of this, Yampil said that all suspects were remanded until Thursday for further investigation, and the case was investigated under Section 302 of the Penal Code.