Latest arrest brings British medical students' murder suspects to four

The arrest of a 35-year-old man in connection with the murder of two British medical students at Jalan Padungan here early today, brings the number of suspects to four.

Sarawak Deputy Police Commissioner Datuk Dr Chai Khin Chung said three of the suspects were nabbed at 6.00 am, and a knife believed to have been used in the 4.15 am incident was also recovered.

Two of the suspects were found to have criminal records for drug abuse and armed robbery, he told a media conference here today.

He said police also seized a Perodua Viva car that was allegedly used in the incident.

"Technically, the case is solved with the recovery of the knife believed to have been used in the murder," he said.

Dr Chai said police have obtained a seven-day remand order from the court on three of the suspects to facilitate investigations under Section 302 of the Penal Code.

According to him, the victims aged 22 and 23 were medical students at a university in Britain and were doing their practical training at a hospital here until Aug 8.

"The victims' identities cannot be disclosed to the media at the moment, to respect their families who might not have been informed yet of the incident," he said.

He said initial investigations revealed that the two victims had earlier entered a cafe in Jalan Abell, Padungan and were drinking alcohol when they started arguing.

One of the suspects had allegedly approached and chided them for being too loud. A war of words ensued, with the students eventually leaving the premises.

However, the suspects pursued them in a car; upon reaching the victims, one of the suspects alighted and allegedly attacked them with a knife.

Dr Chai said a police forensic team which arrived at the scene found the first victim lying face down on the road with two stab wounds in the chest and two in the back.

The second victim was lying on the five foot way of a shop, about two metres from the first victim, with a single stab wound to his chest.

Dr Chai said the remains were sent to Sarawak General Hospital for post mortem.

Meanwhile, Kuching deputy police chief Supt Fauzilan Abdul Aziz confirmed that the fourth suspect was nabbed at Kenyalang Park here at 4.45 pm today.