SUSPECT IN KILLING OF KUANTAN FOOD VENDOR NABBED IN TERENGGANU

KUANTAN, Feb 15 (Bernama) -- Police arrested a man in Kuala Terengganu this morning on suspicion of being involved in the murder of a female food vendor whose body was found by the riverbank near the Tanjung Lumpur Bridge here.

Kuantan District Police Chief ACP Wan Mohd Zahari Wan Busu said the 53-year-old suspect, who is unemployed, was apprehended by a police team at a residential area in Wakaf Tembesu Gong Badak, Kuala Terengganu, at 5.30 am.

He said the police also seized a ring, cash, clothing, and documents to assist in the investigation.

He added that a remand application for the suspect would be submitted to the Kuantan Magistrate's Court today to facilitate further investigations under Section 302 of the Penal Code.

"With the arrest of this suspect, police have solved the murder case involving the food vendor," he said in a statement here.

Meanwhile, Pahang Police Chief Datuk Seri Yahaya Othman expressed gratitude to Terengganu police for assisting in locating and apprehending the suspect.

The media had reported that the body of food vendor, Norshamira Zainal, 37, was discovered on Feb 13 by the riverbank near the Tanjung Lumpur Bridge. Further investigations revealed foul play.

Yesterday, Yahaya stated that there were injury marks on the victim's body and that her jewellery was missing.

The incident, involving the mother of one, also caught the attention of the Sultan of Pahang, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, who called for the suspect to be swiftly arrested and appropriately punished if found guilty of murder.

Al-Sultan Abdullah, his consort Tengku Ampuan Pahang Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah, and their son, Tengku Mahkota Pahang Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Alam Shah, visited the victim's family at the Forensic Medical Department of Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital (HTAA) yesterday.

-- BERNAMA