KUCHING: A seemingly ordinary late-night supper descended into violence after a local man was attacked by five men armed with weapons in Matang here yesterday (Aug 21).
The horrific incident happened around 1am when the victim in his 30s and his girlfriend were having their meal at an eatery and were approached by a group of five.
Padawan deputy police chief DSP Lim Jaw Shyong said the peaceful rendezvous turned nasty when one of them accused the victim of a debt, a claim that was denied by the victim.
Fuelled by dissatisfaction over the rebuttal, the group forcibly took the victim out of the premises and attacked him with weapons believed hockey sticks and a machete.
“In a desperate bid to escape, the victim attempted to escape the onslaught but was unsuccessful, leaving him battered and injured on his body and legs.
“With the victim left in pain, the suspects fled into the night. He was rushed to the hospital for immediate medical attention.
“Though his condition is currently stable, the extent of his injuries necessitates monitoring,” he said.
Lim said they had received a police report on the incident later during the day, at 1.16 pm.
Following that, an operation led by the Sarawak Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in coordination with the district’s CID, managed to arrest all five suspects who were allegedly involved in the vicious attack.
“The case is being investigated under Sections 326 and 148 of the Penal Code for causing grievous hurt and rioting with weapons.
“The suspects will face remand proceedings in court today to facilitate investigations,” he said.
Police advised the public against speculating on the incident and spreading baseless rumours. They should allow the law to take its course.
Lim also issued a strong advisory against sharing any videos linked to the incident as it could affect ongoing police investigation.
Anyone found to be sharing videos without permission, may be subject to action under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.
At the time of writing, a one-minute-30-seconds video clip of the incident had gone viral on Facebook and WhatsApp since last night.
