PAPAR: The decomposing body of a naked man has been found floating in the Kogopon River here on Sunday (May 4).
The body, believed to be about age 30, was discovered by a member of the public who was fishing in the river at 12.30pm.
Papar district police chief Supt Kamaruddin Ambo Sakka said that initial investigations found the body afloat near a rocky riverbank.
“The body was found without clothing or any form of identification. Physically, it was bloated and showed signs of decomposition.
“The river is located not far from the main road near the Kogopon water treatment plant, and based on the condition of the body, it is believed that the man had died several days earlier,” he said in a statement on Sunday as reported in Sinar Harian.
According to Kamaruddin, a preliminary examination found no visible injuries on the body.
“The cause of death has not been determined, and no one has come forward to identify the man.
“However, there are some identifying features, namely a flower-shaped tattoo on the right arm and an earring in the left ear,” he added.
He further stated that no missing person reports involving the deceased had been received in the Papar district.
“If any family members, friends, or neighbours have reported someone missing and the person has yet to be found, they are urged to come to the Papar district police headquarters or the nearest police station to lodge a report and attend the hospital for the purpose of body identification,” he said.
The body will be sent to Queen Elizabeth I Hospital in Kota Kinabalu for a post-mortem examination to determine the cause of death.
“The case is currently classified as sudden death,” he said.
