Main suspect in murder of local man during drunken brawl in Beaufort surrenders to police

Datuk Hazani Ghazali – File photo

KOTA KINABALU (March 2): The main suspect in the murder of a local man during a drunken brawl at a restaurant in Beaufort on Dec 18, last year has finally surrendered to the police, after more than two months on the run.

State Police Commissioner Datuk Hazani Ghazali said the suspect, Hobalan N. Vello @ Jimmy Black, was arrested by police at the Karamunsing police station around 11am yesterday.

“The 37-year-old suspect surrendered himself at the Karamunsing police station.

“He was immediately detained for investigation and will be taken to court for his sentencing,” said Hazani.

The suspect has been on the run since Dec 18, 2020 after he was involved in a brawl inside a restaurant which resulted in the death of a local man.

The suspect, who owns the restaurant, had allegedly confronted four men who had earlier entered his restaurant to purchase four cartons of beer around 11.30pm on that day.

All four men were said to be intoxicated after attending a wedding reception not far from the restaurant.

It was said that one of the drunken men started arguing with a customer inside the restaurant before Hobalan confronted them.

This, however, led to more quarrels before the four men left the restaurant but threatened to return with other friends.

A friend of Hobalan who witnessed the incident then lodged a police report at the Beaufort police station the same day.

It was said that while the friend was lodging a police report, he received a telephone call from Hobalan telling him that the drunken men had returned.

Police immediately rushed to the restaurant where a fight had broken out. Police however managed to stop the fight and detained all those involved.

Police also seized a 27-inch machete and belt buckle believed to be used in the fight, along with three other machetes and an axe found in a bag.

One of the men involved in the brawl however succumbed to his injuries at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital around 7am on Dec 22, last year.

Following the incident, police mounted a manhunt for Hobalan and another suspect, identified as Kesawan Perambalan. The latter was however arrested near a commercial area in Bandar Mingo, Beaufort on Dec 22, last year

According to Hazani, police investigation revealed that the suspect used to be part of a gang in Klang about 10 years ago but was arrested in Keningau and placed on police watch prior to 2008.

After his release from police watch in 2008, the suspect settled down, married and started a business in Beaufort.

The case is being investigated under Section 148 of the Penal Code for possessing weapons or missiles at a riot, and Section 320 of the Penal Code for murder.

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