Police: Julau longhouse resident fatally shot after threatening to report neighbour’s shotgun misuse

JULAU (Feb 25): A 69-year-old man was shot dead at a longhouse in Sungai Minus, Entabai here on Tuesday in what police described as a dispute over the misuse of a firearm.

Julau police chief DSP Alif Haiqal Ramesh Abdullah said the incident occurred at around 11am at the five-footway of the longhouse.

“Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect, a 43-year-old local man, allegedly fired a single shot using a 12-bore single-barrel shotgun, striking the victim on his right shoulder,” he said in a statement.

Family members rushed the victim, identified as farmer Vincient Belingau, to Nanga Entaih Health Clinic but he was pronounced dead at 11.49am by the attending medical officer.

Alif Haiqal said police received initial information at around 12.20pm before a report was lodged.

The victim is said to have just returned from his oil palm plantation and was washing his feet when the suspect allegedly ran from another unit of the longhouse and discharged the firearm.

“Based on witness statements, the suspect had also earlier fired shots at the five-footway of the longhouse on previous occasions.

“The motive is believed to be due to dissatisfaction after the victim had reprimanded the suspect for playing with the firearm and threatened to report the matter to the police,” he said.

The suspect was apprehended at 1.35pm the same day by a team from the Criminal Investigation Department of Julau police headquarters at the longhouse.

Police also seized a 12-bore single-barrel shotgun, multiple rounds of live ammunition, and spent cartridges of various brands at the scene.

“The firearm licence is registered under the suspect’s mother. Investigations revealed that the suspect allegedly took the shotgun without her permission,” said Alif Haiqal.

The case is being investigated under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder.

The victim’s body has been sent to the Forensic Department of Sibu Hospital for a post-mortem.

Alif Haiqal urged the public not to speculate on the incident and to allow police to carry out a thorough investigation.