KOTA KINABALU: A mother of six was allegedly slashed multiple times by her husband after spotting her chatting with a male neighbour in Sabah’s northern Kota Marudu district.
The 40-year-old woman who suffered at least 14 slash wounds, including to her neck, remains in critical but stable condition following the attack that occurred at their home in Kg Mangkupa around 9.30am on Thursday.
Kota Marudu OCPD Supt Somiun Lomidin said they have launched a manhunt for the 50-year-old suspect, an Indonesian who married the local woman 19 years ago.
He said the incident is believed to have stemmed from jealousy over the woman’s chatter with her male neighbour.
Initial police investigations showed that the husband told her not to talk to the neighbour, but a heated argument ensued when she denied speaking to him.
“The suspect attacked the woman with a parang he took from the kitchen,” he said in a statement.
She was later found in a pool of blood by her niece while a neighbour contacted the police for assistance.
Supt Somiun said the woman told police at Hospital Kota Marudu emergency ward that the incident stemmed from the suspect’s alleged jealousy after seeing her greet a male neighbour.
He said before the incident, the suspect often accused his wife of having an affair with a neighbour, an accusation she denied.
The woman will be referred to Hospital Queen Elizabeth in Kota Kinabalu for further treatment, he said.
Investigations are being carried out under Section 326 of the Penal Code for voluntarily causing grievous hurt using dangerous weapons.
