JOHOR BAHRU, Oct 9 — Police believe resentment, including over romantic rejection, may have been among the motives for the murder of 16-year-old Irene Sofiya Mohd Khairool Faisal at a secondary school in Yong Peng, Batu Pahat, last Saturday.

Johor police chief Datuk Ab Rahaman Arsad said, however, that the motive was still being examined as investigations continued.

“Police believe the murder may have stemmed from the suspect’s resentment towards the victim, including over his rejected romantic advances and her relationship with his best friend.

“However, this aspect will be examined further in the ongoing investigation,” he told a press conference here today.

He said the 16-year-old male suspect, who was detained to assist in the investigation, was the victim’s classmate. So far, no other individuals had been identified as being involved. 

Ab Rahaman said that during investigations from Oct 4 to 8, police made several seizures and recovered evidence around Yong Peng, including an iron rod measuring about 96 centimetres in length, which is believed to have been used to beat the victim.

He said the iron rod was wrapped with a blue necktie at one end, which was believed to have been used as a handle to strike the victim.

“Based on the post-mortem report, we believe the blows struck the head, but there were also signs of blows to the body, hands and several other parts of the victim’s body,” he said.

He said police also believed there had been a struggle between the victim and the suspect, based on the scene, where tables and chairs were found overturned, and a flower pot was broken. There were also signs indicating that the victim had tried to defend herself.

However, he said investigations so far had not indicated that the flower pot was used as a weapon in the incident.

Apart from the iron rod, items seized as evidence included an iPhone 13 Pro, a Mizuno jersey, black trousers, a pair of Adidas slippers, an Alhua Technology decoder set, black tracksuit pants, and a white-and-red sports shirt bearing the number 27 with stains believed to be blood.

Police also seized a canvas bag containing stationery, a backpack containing an Additional Mathematics textbook and a Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination paper bearing Irene Sofiya’s name, a pair of spectacles, a Yamaha-branded key, an Owala drinking bottle, three student attendance sheets and a pink Casio calculator.

Ab Rahaman said all the items had been sent to the Chemistry Department for analysis.

Asked whether there had been an attempted rape, he said investigations so far had found no indication of such an act.

He said the suspect had no disciplinary record at school so far, while any issues concerning the teenager’s mental condition would be left to the court if he were charged and required to undergo a psychiatric assessment.

He said investigations under Section 302 of the Penal Code were almost complete and the investigation papers were expected to be referred to the Johor Prosecution Director’s Office today for further instructions.

On Oct 3, Irene Sofiya was found unconscious and covered in blood in a school hall in Yong Peng at about 5.50pm before she was pronounced dead.

Following the incident, the suspect was remanded for six days from Oct 4 to assist in the investigation, and his remand order was extended for another six days starting tomorrow. — Bernama