KINABATANGAN, Jan 2 — Police detained a foreign man, believed to be the suspect in a murder case, less than 24 hours after he allegedly beat up his brother-in-law to death at their house in Mananggol Estate, near here, early yesterday.

Kinabatangan district police chief, Supt A. Sahak Rahmat said in the 5am incident, the suspect, aged 42, assaulted the 60-year-old victim while he was sleeping alone in the living room.

"Based on the testimony of the witness, the suspect appeared to be intoxicated when he returned home after celebrating the new year at his friend’s house. Later, he went to his room to change his clothes before he came out, picked up some wood and hit the victim on the head and legs.

"The suspect was arrested at an office at Gomantong Estate, near here, about 2.35 pm,” he said in a statement, here, today.

Sahak said police earlier rushed to the scene after receiving a report on the incident at 2pm and found the victim’s body sprawling in a pool of blood, with injuries on the head and bruised eyes.

He said the initial inspection at the house led to the discovery of two pieces of wooden believed to be the weapons used in the beating.

Revenge was believed to be the motive behind the murder as the victim had threatened the suspect with a machete the week before but managed to be calmed down by their friends, said Sahak.

He said the suspect, also a foreign labourer, and victim had been working at Mananggol Estate over the past 10 months. — Bernama