PENAMPANG: The body of a 48-year-old local was found in a forested area in Kampung Togudon, here, early Monday.
Penampang District Police Chief Supt Sammy Newton said villagers discovered the victim lying face down on a plantation trail at 6am before alerting the authorities.
Initial investigations showed the man was last seen by family members on the afternoon of June 10 when he entered the forest to inspect and tend to his bat traps.
Police recovered a chainsaw and several personal items belonging to the deceased near the location where the body was found.
Preliminary findings show the victim is believed to have suffered severe injuries after being struck by a tree he had felled while carrying out activities in the area.
A team from the Penampang District Police Headquarters, assisted by forensic personnel from the Sabah Police Contingent Headquarters (IPK) D10 unit, conducted examinations at the scene.
“Investigations at the scene found no evidence of criminal elements linked to the incident,” Sammy said in a statement.
The body was sent to the Forensic Medicine Department of Queen Elizabeth I Hospital in Kota Kinabalu for a post-mortem.
