KOTA KINABALU, Feb 14 — The suspect in the slashing of an Australian homestay operator in Kampung Kiwoi, Tamparuli has been arrested after more than two weeks on the run.
Tuaran district police chief deputy superintendent Dzulbaharin Ismail said the arrest happened after a foot chase and scuffle from an unnumbered house in Kampung Saga, Likas this afternoon.
“We confronted him at the house at about 1pm this afternoon but he ran away into the nearby bushes and police had to chase him down. He also put up a fight with our officers before we managed to subdue him,” said Dzulbaharin.
The suspect was identified as a Filipino aged 36 years old who does not have any personal documents.
Under interrogation at the Tuaran district police station, the suspect said he owned the weapon used to hack the 46-year-old Australian, causing serious injuries to the back of his head and forearms.
The attack came after a confrontation with the victim on January 24, believed to be over the suspect staying at a mutual acquaintance’s home uninvited.
The victim was found by villagers lying in a pool of blood, before being rushed to the Tuaran district hospital, and then transferred to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital where he underwent surgery to his head.
The police have remanded the suspect to facilitate further investigations under Section 324 of the Penal Code for causing grievous hurt with a dangerous weapon.
