Woman dies after husband sets her on fire

KENINGAU - A woman died after being set on fire by her husband in an incident in Kampung Tinagalan, Sook, last Friday.

The 41-year-old victim died on Sunday after receiving treatment at the Keningau Hospital.

Keningau district police chief Superintendent Yampil Anak Garai said police received a report on the incident from the victim's family members.

He said initial investigations found that the victim and the 50-year-old suspect had been drinking 'tapai' (alcoholic beverage) on the day of the incident at their home.

"On the same day, around 10pm, their 16-year-old child saw both of them arguing loudly and in a severely intoxicated state.

"While arguing, the suspect said he wanted to burn the victim and the victim dared him to do it.

"The suspect then went downstairs to take a can containing petrol and went back upstairs, poured petrol on the victim's body before igniting a matchstick and throwing it towards the victim, causing her body to catch fire," he said in a statement, yesterday.

Yampil said the house then burned down completely and the couple's three children were inside the house at the time.

"The victim's child managed to take two other siblings who were sleeping out from the house because the fire which started from the second floor at their parents' room, had begun to spread inside the house.

"The child also managed to put out the fire on the victim's body with assistance from their uncle.

"The victim was then taken to a clinic in Sook for initial treatment before being taken to the Keningau Hospital for further treatment. However, the hospital confirmed that the victim had died at 1.41pm," he said.

Yampil said the suspect had been arrested and remanded until Friday for further investigation under Section 326 of the Penal Code.