Year 1 pupil beaten to death was gagged

According to sources, seven-year-old Jackson Nuing Awe's mouth was stuffed with a blanket before he was brutally assaulted.

PETALING JAYA: The Year 1 boy, who allegedly died from injuries caused by his Year 6 schoolmate, was not only brutally assaulted at his primary school’s hostel on Aug 22, but was also gagged with a blanket, initial investigations revealed.

According to sources working closely with the task force set up to probe the case, seven-year-old Jackson Nuing Awe’s mouth was stuffed with a blanket.

“He received several blows in the form of punches and kicks to his face and several parts of his body,” the News Straits Times (NST) quoted the sources as saying.

Jackson, from Rumah Untang, Sungai Yong, was only transferred to SK Nanga Ibun, Sungai Pila, on July 1.

The sources said tension between Jackson and the 12-year-old suspect, who shared a room at the hostel with two other borders, had escalated when the former had allegedly insulted the assailant by belittling his father’s name.

“The suspect became furious and acted aggressively against his junior,” the sources added.

The victim was found unconscious and with bruises on his face and body by the assistant warden, who was making his rounds waking up the children for the day at 5.30am.

The incident is believed to have occurred between 9.30pm and 10.50pm on Monday, as the assistant warden conducts a lights-out inspection at 9pm.

It is understood that the fellow boarders were too scared to report the incident immediately.

According to the Borneo Post Online, the hostel is said to be located quite a distance from the staff quarters and the school’s generator set is located between the buildings, and this could have drowned out sounds of the violence.

Jackson was first brought to Nanga Merit rural health clinic before being referred to Kapit Hospital.

He was then medevaced to Sibu Hospital, where he underwent a CT scan due to his head injuries.

Jackson died at Sibu Hospital on Thursday, after being in a coma for three days.

Following Jackson’s death, the suspect was arrested and is being investigated under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder.

“I view this incident very seriously. We will be recording the statement of the school headmaster, teachers, and hostel wardens to find out how this sort of thing could have happened,” the Borneo Post reported Sarawak police commissioner Amer Awal as saying.

According to the NST, state Education Department director Rakayah Madon said a team from the Kapit district education office has been sent to the school to conduct its own probe into the case.

“We want to know what really happened and to decide on the next course of action,” she said. -FMT