Police have arrested a 19-year-old foreign man suspected of being involved in the murder of a foreign woman who was found dead in a hotel room in Taman Maju Jaya, Johor Bahru.
The suspect was detained less than 24 hours after the crime was discovered, following swift investigative work by the authorities.
Johor Deputy Police Chief Deputy Commissioner Hoo Chuan Huat said in an official statement that the man was arrested at about 8 PM during a raid at a condominium in Johor Bahru.
Police also seized several items believed to be linked to the case, including a brown T-shirt, a pair of blue jeans, a black cap and a pair of black rubber shoes. Investigators further confiscated a hard disk containing closed-circuit television (CCTV) recordings, as well as two mobile phones, to assist with the investigation.
Tested negative for drugs
According to police, checks found that the suspect has no prior criminal record. A preliminary urine screening test also came back negative, indicating that he was not under the influence of drugs.
The suspect was later brought before the Johor Bahru Magistrate’s Court for a remand application under Section 117 of the Criminal Procedure Code. The magistrate granted a seven-day remand order starting today until 18 March to facilitate further investigations under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder.
The case shocked many after the victim, a 37-year-old foreign woman, was discovered dead in a hotel room at about 4:30 AM on Wednesday (11 March). In a report by China Press, the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) also confirmed that the deceased was a sex worker.
If convicted, the suspect could be sentenced to death by hanging or to imprisonment for not less than 30 years and not more than 40 years, in addition to a minimum of 12 strokes of the whip.
Initial investigations revealed that the woman had suffered multiple stab wounds. Authorities said she sustained nine stab wounds to the centre of her chest, along with additional wounds to her neck, the right side of her chest and the left side of her chest.
Examinations also found stab injuries on her right index finger and right arm, suggesting that she may have tried to defend herself during the attack.
Also read: CCTV Shows Man Killed at Seremban Night Club After Beating & Stabbing, PDRM Confirms Incident
