Suspect nabbed over grisly Lahad Datu child murder

Police used the dog squad to sniff out the hidden parang allegedly used in the killing if a 11 year old boy.

KOTA KINABALU: A 33-year-old Indonesian man wanted for the murder of his friend's 11-year-old stepson has been arrested.

The suspect was caught at about 7am Sunday (Sept 24) by auxiliary policemen who had been alert since Saturday for the suspect in the Felda Sahabat area, about 100km from Lahad Datu.

Lahad Datu district police chief Asst Comm Rohan Shah Ahmad said a team from the Lahad Datu police headquarters questioned the man who told police where he hid the murder weapon.

ACP Rohan Shah said police, with the help of the K9 unit, recovered a 23-inch parang.

"We believe we have solved the case," he said, adding the suspect is the only person wanted by police in the case.

He said the suspect will be remanded to the Magistrates Court on Monday.

ACP Rohan did not disclose the motive for the murder and said police still needed time to investigate the case.

The boy was found with slash wounds on his head, neck and hands at the Felda Sahabat 50 workers housing on Saturday (Sept 23) afternoon.

The victim's mother and stepfather, both foreign nationals and general farm workers, had gone to work and left the boy with the suspect.