Missing mechanic found dead in jungle with gunshot wounds

MIRI: A man, who had gone missing since he went out for a hunting trip last Friday (Aug 23), was found dead with gunshot wounds on his body.

The grim discovery was made by the villagers of Kampung Liang Dato in Medamit, Limbang on Sunday.

In a statement issued to reporters yesterday, Limbang police chief Supt Abang Zainal Abidin Abang Ahmad said the victim was a 42-year-old mechanic from Kampung Liang Dato in Limbang.

“The victim’s wife had been looking for him since Aug 23 after he failed to return home from work.

“She also looked for him the next day, but to no avail.

“It was on Aug 25, around 9am, when she spotted his vehicle parked at the roadside in Lubuk Lalang in Medamit. However, she could not locate him anywhere,” he said.

According to Abang Zainal Abidin, the victim’s wife then appealed the villagers of Kampung Liang Dato for help to look for her husband.

Around noon, they found the body in the jungle near their village. The police were informed immediately.

“He was found with his feet caught in a tangle of tree roots. Upon checking the body, police found some gunshot wounds on back of the right ribs. There were no other injuries,” said Abang Zainal Abidin.

A machete belonging to the victim was also found at the site.

Initial investigation revealed that the victim had, around 6pm on Aug 23, told his co-workers that he was going frog-catching that night and reminding them to not look for him should he fail to turn up for work the next day.

“Based on information received from the wife, the victim would often go hunting alone and that he would always use traps – he did not possess any firearms,” said Abang Zainal Abidin, adding that investigation into the case is being run under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder.