SANDAKAN, Aug 26 — Ten people, including two believed to be the main suspects, have been detained following the discovery of a 62-year-old woman’s decomposing body inside her house in Tanah Merah, Jalan Leila, here.

District Police Chief ACP George Abd Rahman said the woman, believed to have been living alone, was found with her hands tied behind her back and her head covered with a piece of cloth inside the house’s toilet.

He said police were alerted at 8.10pm on Aug 19 after a foul smell was reported coming from the two-storey wooden house.

“Police arrived at 8.45pm and found the body of a woman in the toilet, with her hands tied behind her back and her head covered with a cloth,” he said.

The victim is believed to have died several days earlier.

George said the victim was identified through documents found in the house.

Police subsequently made several arrests within 24 hours, comprising five males and five females aged from 10 to 39.

Three are Philippine nationals while seven are Malaysians and all 10 are related. George said two were identified as main suspects.

“Investigations found a dispute over payment for renovation work at the victim’s house, as well as unhappiness over an increase in rent of the house occupied by the two suspects,” he said, adding the case is being investigated under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder. — Daily Express