Two remanded for a week over motel murder
SUNGAI PETANI: Police yesterday obtained a week-long remand order against two men in connection with the murder of a 53-year-old man, whose body was found in a motel room here on Sunday night.
Sungai Petani court assistant registrar Noor Lyana A.B. Rahim granted the remand application on the two men, in their 20s, from yesterday until March 11.
Kuala Muda police chief Assistant Commissioner Saifi Abdul Hamid said the men were picked up separately in Kampung Pengkalan Lebai Man, six hours after the victim’s body was found by the motel staff.
He said the men were identified based on closed-circuit television footage, which showed the duo rushing out of the hotel right after the incident.
He said police would carry out a post-mortem on the victim at Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital to determine the cause of death.
Saifi said the victim from Taman Utama in Kajang, Selangor, had checked in at the hotel in Taman Bandar Baru in Jalan Cinta Sayang at 6.10pm on Sunday, accompanied by the duo.
However, at 8pm, the motel staff heard a commotion from the victim’s room before the duo were seen leaving the motel in a hurry. Suspecting something amiss, the motel staff went to the room five min- utes later and found the victim inside the bathroom with a cable cord around his neck.
The staff helped to untie the cable cord and laid the victim on the floor before alerting the authorities. He was alive when the staff found him, but was pronounced dead by a medical team that rushed to the scene.
“The victim also suffered injuries on his forehead, ribs and back,” Saifi said.