KUCHING, April 26: Police have reclassified a massive brawl that broke out at an eatery in Jalan Matang here as murder after one of the victims died in hospital.
Padawan District Police Chief Supt Abang Zainal Abidin Abang Ahmad said the 30-year-old victim who was injured in the incident died at 10pm while receiving treatment at the Sarawak General Hospital (SGH).
“As such, the case was reclassified as murder under Section 302 of the Penal Code.
“A total of 16 people were arrested to assist in the investigation,” he said when contacted today to confirm the matter.
Abang Zainal emphasised that the police are still investigating and examining the case from all angles to collect evidence and clearer insights into the case.
The case was previously investigated under Section 148 of the Penal Code for rioting.
On April 16, the deceased, together with two other men in their 30s and 40s, were seriously injured in the brawl and were taken to the hospital.
Some of the individuals involved were also armed with sharp weapons, which were seized by police at the scene and seven suspects aged between 26 and 40 were arrested to facilitate investigations.
Police said that the cause of the brawl was dissatisfaction over business profit distribution.— DayakDaily
