KUANTAN – Police have arrested a man in Kuala Terengganu on suspicion of a gruesome murder involving a food vendor whose body was discovered by the riverbank near the Tanjung Lumpur Bridge in Kuantan, a case that has shocked the nation, including the Sultan of Pahang.
Kuantan District Police Chief ACP Wan Mohd Zahari Wan Busu said the 53-year-old suspect was detained at 5.30 am on Saturday at a residential area in Wakaf Tembesu, Gong Badak, Kuala Terengganu.
The arrest was carried out by a team from the Criminal Investigation Department of the Pahang and Terengganu contingents. The suspect was reportedly found hiding in a house and was taken into custody without resistance. Police also seized a ring, cash, clothing, and documents as part of the investigation.
Authorities believe the suspect had been attempting to evade capture by frequently changing locations. Investigators are now working to determine his exact motive and whether he had any accomplices.
“A remand application for the suspect will be submitted at the Kuantan Magistrate’s Court today,” Wan Mohd Zahari said in a statement.
He added that the arrest marks a breakthrough in the case, which involved the gruesome killing of food vendor Norshamira Zainal, 37, whose body was found on February 13 by the riverbank near the Tanjung Lumpur Bridge. Initial investigations pointed to foul play, with reports indicating injury marks on her body and missing jewellery.
Pahang Police Chief Datuk Seri Yahaya Othman extended appreciation to Terengganu police for their assistance in tracking down the suspect.
The murder caught the attention of Sultan of Pahang, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, who described the act as “cruel and inhumane.”
Yesterday, His Majesty expressed his hopes that the suspect would be swiftly brought to justice and appropriately punished if found guilty.
The Sultan made the remarks during his visit to the victim’s family at the Forensic Medical Department of Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital (HTAA) yesterday. He was accompanied by his consort, Tengku Ampuan Pahang Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah, and their son, Tengku Mahkota Pahang Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Alam Shah.
During the visit, Al-Sultan Abdullah and Tunku Azizah consoled the grieving family, offering words of encouragement and support. The Sultan personally expressed his condolences to the victim’s husband, Mohammad Afiq Akmal Nudin, 31.
The media previously reported that Norshamira’s body was discovered by a passerby near the Tanjung Lumpur Bridge at around 12.45 pm on February 13. The victim’s remains were claimed by her family at 2.30 pm the following day before being taken to Masjid Tengku Ampuan Afzan, Indera Mahkota, for funeral rites. She was later laid to rest at her hometown in Felda Keratong 9, Rompin. – February 15, 2025