Court extends remand for couple probed in maid's death

KOTA KINABALU: The couple arrested in connection with the suspicious death of their maid at an apartment in Penampang near here on Dec 13 has been remanded for another two days.

The couple's lawyer Rakbhir Singh said that the Kota Kinabalu High Court's Senior Assistant Registrar Dayang Aidaku Amira Aminuddin allowed on Monday (Dec 20) for the remand to be extended for another two days for the couple.

They were arrested on Dec 14, a day after they lodged a police report claiming that they found their 28-year-old maid on the floor of their apartment in Lido, Penampang after returning from a holiday in Kundasang about 80km from here.

Rakbhir said the police had sought an additional seven days for the completion of their investigations into the death of the maid, as they needed to further record the couple's statement and interview other witnesses.

Rakbhir said that he argued against the further remand, as the police had already recorded his clients’ statements during their initial seven-day remand since Dec 14.

The proceedings were carried out via Zoom.

The suspects are a 33-year-old woman who is an engineer for a petroleum company and her 40-year-old husband is a former officer with an airline company.

According to Rakbhir, the couple were being investigated for murder under Section 302 of the Penal Code.

Penampang police have so far not released any details on the death of the maid, who is alleged to have been abused.

Rakbhir said that they have to be informed on the type of injuries sustained by the maid.

Earlier, the police said they needed to get further details on the drugs being taken by the female suspect, as she informed the court the drugs were prescription medication given by a doctor to treat her depression and anxiety disorders.