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KOTA KINABALU: July 16, 2026 – Police have arrested two men to assist with investigations into the disappearance of a young girl, Nurjilya Abdullah, who was reported missing from Kampung Numbak in Sepanggar on 13 July.
The case has been classified as murder following the discovery of the victim’s body on a bushy slope near a house under construction in Bukit Kampung Numbak on Monday night.
Acting Kota Kinabalu Police Chief Superintendent Syed Lot Syed Ab Rahman said the victim’s body was found at about 10.38pm after police received information from a member of the public.
He said an initial examination found the body to be in a state of decomposition, before it was identified by the victim’s mother based on the clothing she had been wearing at the time she was reported missing.
According to him, the results of a post-mortem examination indicated that the cause of death was believed to be injuries to the face and the back of the head, caused by blows from a hard, blunt object.
“Acting on information and intelligence gathered during the investigation, police have succeeded in detaining two men to assist with inquiries into this case,” he said.
“Both suspects will be brought to court for a remand application to allow investigations to continue,” he added.
He said the motive for the incident was still under investigation, and that police were currently finalising their inquiries, including taking witness statements and gathering relevant evidence.
Members of the public with any information regarding the case are urged to contact investigating officer Assistant Superintendent La Paula Abd Muis on 013-5149490 or to come forward to their nearest police station.
The case is being investigated under Section 302 of the Penal Code.
