PADAWAN: An octogenarian was found dead in an apartment unit at Synergy Square, Jalan Matang, here yesterday (Dec 13).
The incident came to light when a tenant complained to the police around 4pm of foul odour emanating from the apartment unit.
A police team from the Batu Kawa police station was despatched to the scene.
They discovered the body in a pile of tissue boxes after forcing their way in as the door was locked.
According to the complainant living above the victim’s unit, the woman had been living alone for the last 10 years.
Padawan OCPD Supt Abang Zainal Abidin Abang Ahmad confirmed the identify of the victim, a Canadian national, as Tan Onn Har, 82.
“The body was maggot-infested when found. There is no sign of foul play,” he said, adding that the victim is believed to have been dead for a few days.
The body was later sent to the Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) for a COVID-19 smear test and post-mortem.
Abang Zainal said the case has been classified as sudden death and efforts are now being made to trace the victim’s immediate family members.
He appealed to members of the public with any information to come forward to facilitate police investigations,” he said.
