Senior Citizen Dies Believed Attacked By His Son In Kuala Gris, Suspect Positive For Drug

KUALA KRAI, August 6 (Bernama) -- An elderly man died after he was believed to have been beaten by his own son using a blunt object in an incident in Kampung Baru Kuala Gris, Dabong, early this morning.

Kuala Krai district police chief, Supt Mazlan Mamat, said police received an emergency call on the incident at 7.30 am from a member of the public.

He said a team from Kuala Krai police headquarters and Dabong police station rushed to the location and found the 74-year-old victim lying in a pool of blood in the kitchen.

“Initial investigation found the victim was struck on the head with a blunt object which caused serious injuries and was confirmed dead at the location.

“Police detained a 30-year-old male suspect who is the victim’s son and seized a broken chair in the incident,” he said in a statement today.  

Mazlan said initial urine tests showed the suspect tested positive for methamphetamine and was a former inmate of the Batu Jong Satellite Prison, Kuala Krai who was released in early July for an offence under Section 39C of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.

“Since his release, the suspect has been living with the victim and his mother. Checks also found that the suspect has seven previous criminal records, five related to drug cases and two cases of criminal intimidation,” he said.

Mazlan said the victim’s body was sent to the Sultan Ismail Petra Hospital Forensic Unit for a post-mortem while the suspect will be brought to the Magistrate’s Court tomorrow for a remand application.

He said the case was being investigated under Section 302 of the Penal Code and members of the public with information were asked to come forward to assist in the investigation by contacting Investigating Officer, ASP Nagantheran at 09-9666222 or Dabong police station.

Meanwhile, the victim's wife, Rohana Che Daud, 63, said that before the incident, she was getting ready to go to the surau at 5.40 am while her husband Othman Jusoh, 74, chose to perform the Subuh prayer at home.

“At that time, I saw my son just lying on the sofa and talking to himself. There was no argument or signs that he was acting out of control.

“But when I returned from the surau around 6.30 am, I was shocked to see my eldest son pressing a wooden chair against my husband's neck who was still on the prayer mat. My husband was not moving and there was blood on the floor and even the chair he was using was broken,” she told reporters when met at the scene today.

The couple have six children, and according to Rohana, their eldest child, before the incident, did not sleep all night and had been in and out of prison due to drugs.

“He previously worked in Johor and has only just returned to live with us since last month,” she said.

The victim’s neighbour, Tuan Noor Azwanis Tuan Mohamad, 38, said she heard screams for help after finishing her Subuh prayers.

“Before the incident, I already felt uneasy when I saw the suspect pacing in front of the house while talking to himself at around 4.30 am.

“When I heard the screams, I immediately opened the door and saw Rohana in a panic asking for help to call the police because her husband was covered in blood. I quickly pulled her into the house and locked the door because I was worried that the suspect would act more aggressively,” she said.

-- BERNAMA