KOTA KINABALU: A six-month-old baby girl was hacked to death by her grand-uncle and her 35-year-old mother seriously hurt after in Sabah's east coast Kinabatangan district.

       Kinabatangan OCPD Supt Dzulbaharin Ismail said police were informed of the gruesome incident at a house in Kampung Ubi Sungai Pauh, after receiving a tip-off at 2.40pm on Tuesday (May 10).

       The team who arrived at the scene found that the baby had died due to severe injuries to her head.

       "The mother suffered serious injuries to the back of her neck and her left ear was almost cut off," he said in a statement on Wednesday (May 11).

       "The police managed to track down the 60-year-old suspect, believed to be a foreigner, at a nearby oil palm plantation," he said.

       Supt Dzulbaharin said police retrieved a machete which was likely used in the attack.

       He added the suspect has been remanded for seven days under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder, which carries a mandatory death sentence on conviction.

       Meanwhile, in a separate case, Supt Dzulbaharin urged those who know Ismail Santara and Ana Farhana Musa to notify the duo that they were vital witnesses for an ongoing murder trial at the Sandakan High Court.

       He also welcomed information from the public who know the whereabouts of the two witnesses.

       They can call the Kinabatangan police operations room at 089-561 890 or the Kinabatangan CID chief Asst Supt Razali Basa at 019-621 7357.