"Explosive Jealousy" — Theories Abound Days After KL Cook Was Murdered
A married couple, who are the prime suspects in the case, allegedly planned the murder using a remote-controlled explosive device after the husband found out that the victim was having an affair with his wife.
By Sadho Ram — 06 Jan 2023, 03:04 PM — Updated over 1 year ago
On the night of 29 December, a cook was killed in front of a restaurant in Kuala Lumpur after a package, left on top of his car, exploded
The incident occurred at around 8.50pm in front of the restaurant in Pandan Indah, Ampang Jaya.
The victim, who was 28 years old, suffered serious injuries to his body and hands and died an hour later at about 9.45pm, while receiving treatment at Ampang Hospital. Police classified the case as murder.
Then on Tuesday night, 3 January, a married couple was arrested at a house in Kedah. The duo are the prime suspects in the murder case.
A team from the Ampang Jaya district police headquarters raided the house in Serdang, Kedah, and nabbed the husband and wife, according to acting Selangor Police Chief Datuk S Sasikala Devi.
"The police believe the duo's arrest will assist the authorities in their ongoing investigations," Malay Mail quoted Sasikala as saying on 4 January. She added that the arrest was made in a residential area.
The husband, aged 32, and wife, 30, were remanded for seven days until 10 January.
Photo of Selangor Police Chief Datuk S Sasikala Devi during a press conference, while a male officer stands beside her.
Image via Malay Mail/BernamaWhile the investigation is underway, media reports have highlighted a number of theories behind the murder, with jealousy being a motive
According to a report in Berita Harian, the initial police investigation pointed towards jealousy as the motive behind the cook's murder, which was carried out using a homemade bomb.
The Malay daily reported that the investigation showed that the husband suspected the 28-year-old victim of having a relationship with his wife. However, no further details were provided.
Meanwhile, New Straits Times reported that police found several objects, such as power bank devices, paper cutters, and batteries along with traces of explosives, at the scene of the incident.
Police reportedly believe the know-how to build the bomb was gleaned from social media.
The photo shows the couple, with the husband in front and the wive behind him, being escorted by police officers at the Ampang Magistrate's Court on 4 January.
Image via Hairul Anuar Rahim/New Straits TimesOn how the couple carried out their plan, a source was quoted as saying that they used a remote-controlled homemade explosive device
The source, as quoted by New Straits Times this morning, 6 January, said that at the time of the incident, the husband and wife were staking out the restaurant where the victim worked.
"The remote control was pressed as soon as they saw the victim holding the package that was placed on (top of) his car. Their actions were recorded on a closed-circuit camera (CCTV)," the source said, adding that the couple then threw away their clothes and the remote control to avoid suspicion and fled to Kedah.
The husband reportedly made the explosive device with his wife
They made the device at their home in Serdang, Kedah, as per the source.
Jealously being the alleged motive behind the murder, the husband, who was angry at the victim for having an affair with his wife, tracked him down to Ampang when the man ran away after his affair was discovered.
According to the source, the wife wanted retribution after she was taken advantage of by the man.
