KUALA LUMPUR: Post-mortem results have shown that the undergraduate student murdered in a university hostel in Cyberjaya was not raped, said police.
Sepang OCPD Asst Comm Norhizam Bahaman revealed that the cause of death of the 20-year-old University of Cyberjaya student was blunt force trauma to the head.
“Our initial investigations found no signs of forced entry into her unit. However, injuries consistent with blunt force trauma were discovered on the victim’s head,” he said yesterday.
He added that police had not found any evidence indicating the victim was sexually assaulted, contrary to some claims circulating on social media.
However, several items belonging to the deceased – who was from Kuching, Sarawak – had gone missing.
ACP Norhizam said the missing items include a laptop, a mobile phone, an ATM card and cash.
“We are conducting a thorough investigation and request space and cooperation from the public as we proceed further. We are currently recording witness statements and gathering additional evidence,” he said.
Efforts are underway to locate the suspect believed to be responsible for the murder.
Selangor police chief Comm Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said CCTV footage relevant to the investigation has been obtained.
“The recordings will be used to identify the suspect and to narrow down the search radius of the suspect’s possible location,” he said.
The girl, who was pursuing a Bachelor of Physiotherapy, was discovered unconscious with visible injuries on her body by a friend at 10am on Tuesday. The friend immediately alerted the police.
The victim was living with five other students who had returned home for the holidays on June 21, leaving her alone at the hostel as she was scheduled to sit for an upcoming examination.
The university issued a statement yesterday stressing that it will strengthen security procedures following the murder.
“We are committed to the safety and well-being of our students, staff, and community.
“The safety of our students, their families and the surrounding community remains our utmost priority. In addition to existing measures, we are working closely with security experts to further strengthen our safety procedures,” it said.
The university also expressed its heartfelt condolences to friends and family of the victim.
“The university is fully cooperating with the authorities to ensure a thorough and timely investigation. Out of respect for the family, we kindly request that their privacy be maintained and that all parties refrain from speculation or sharing unverified information during this difficult time,” it said.
The Higher Education Ministry, in a statement yesterday, said it is awaiting the full investigation report from the authorities.
“As part of the continuous steps to increase security and student welfare, the ministry would like to remind all public and private higher education institutes to obey the SOP that has been set by the respective universities.
“This is important in ensuring that (security and student welfare) levels are always at their highest. Compliance is imperative to ensure complete protections for all the students under the universities’ responsibility,” it said.
Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri, in a post on Facebook, urged authorities to conduct a thorough investigation.
“I believe and hope that the investigation will be carried out with integrity and transparency so that justice can be upheld.
“I pray the family will be granted strength and resilience in facing this difficult time,” she said.
Nancy said she visited the family yesterday to personally convey her condolences.
