Police Confirm Body Found Eight Months Ago Belonged To Missing Teacher

MELAKA, Aug 12 (Bernama) -- Police have confirmed that the dismembered body discovered in a drain along the Alor Gajah-Tampin trunk road near Kampung Rimau, Pulau Sebang, Alor Gajah, on Dec 31, last year, belonged to 33-year-old Istiqomah Ahmad Rozi, a teacher who had been reported missing four days earlier.

Alor Gajah district police chief Supt Ashari Abu Samah said that the identity of the woman known as Cikgu Istiqomah was confirmed through the results of a DNA test conducted on Aug 2.

He added that following intelligence gathered by the team from the Special Investigation Division (D9) of the Melaka Criminal Investigation Department (CID), in collaboration with the Johor CID and the Criminal Investigation Division of the Alor Gajah District Police Headquarters (IPD), a couple, aged 36 and 37, were arrested in Chemor, Perak, to assist with the investigation.

“The interrogation of these two individuals led to the discovery of other parts of the victim’s body in the vicinity of where the initial remains were found," Ashari said in a statement.

He added that the couple has been remanded for seven days, starting from Aug 6, and an application to extend their remand is expected to be made today.

He said the case was investigated under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder which provides for the death penalty or imprisonment.

He urged the public with any information related to the case to channel it to the CID of IPD Alor Gajah at 06-556 2222 or contact the investigating officer ASP Norehan Omar at 010-406 4003.

The media previously reported that a decapitated body of a woman, believed murdered and stuffed into a garbage bin, was found in a drain on the Alor Gajah-Tampin trunk road near Kampung Rimau, Pulau Sebang at about 2 pm.

Meanwhile, Ashaari said that police are still searching for the remaining parts of Istiqomah’s body.

He explained that, as a result, her remains cannot yet be returned to her family for funeral arrangements.

“The post-mortem has been completed, but some parts of the body are still missing. The body cannot be released yet, because the investigation is ongoing.

“Once everything is resolved, we will proceed with the release (of the remains). I will keep you updated,” he said briefly to reporters, via a WhatsApp group, today.

He said police are committed to solving this case, and will continue until the suspect is charged in court.

-- BERNAMA