Police: Debt dispute believed to have sparked teenage girl slashing

 

A dispute over an outstanding payment for plumbing repair work is believed to have led to a foreign teenage girl being slashed on the neck in Kampung Tuntuluk, Nosoob, here this afternoon. Pic courtesy of a reader

PENAMPANG: A dispute over an outstanding payment for plumbing repair work is believed to have led to a foreign teenage girl being slashed on the neck in Kampung Tuntuluk, Nosoob, here this afternoon.

Penampang district police chief Superintendent Sammy Newton said initial investigations found that the suspect, a 29-year-old foreign man, had gone to the house to meet the victim's sister-in-law to demand payment of the remaining debt.

At the time of the incident, the victim was at home helping to care for her niece while her sister-in-law was at work.

"During the incident, the victim was holding a knife while preparing food in the kitchen. The suspect claimed that the victim uttered harsh words towards him, causing him to become angry.

"The suspect then grabbed the knife from the victim before slashing her neck and pushing her against the bathroom wall, causing injuries to her head and neck," he said in a statement tonight.

Sammy said the suspect fled after the incident before being arrested by police at 5.50pm in a bush area along Jalan Pekan Kinarut Lama in Papar.

"Checks found that the suspect did not possess any identification documents, while an initial urine screening test showed that he tested positive for methamphetamine.

"The case is being investigated under Section 307 of the Penal Code for attempted murder," he said.

According to Sammy, the victim is in stable condition and is receiving further treatment at Queen Elizabeth I Hospital (HQE I) in Kota Kinabalu. - NST