TAWAU: Police have arrested a man suspected of being a paedophile after he allegedly broke into a residence naked and sexually assaulted an 11-year-old girl on Tuesday.
Tawau District Police Chief ACP Jasmin Hussin said the suspect, a foreigner in his 20s, was detained at the Tawau District Police Headquarters compound at around 10am.
“The incident occurred at about 3am while the victim was sleeping in her living room. She was startled by an unclothed man who allegedly kissed her on the cheek and forehead,” he said on Wednesday.
The victim screamed, alerting her mother, who rushed to check on her daughter, but the suspect had already fled.
Jasmin said the arrest came after police received public tips and acted on intelligence, leading to a manhunt by officers from the District Criminal Investigation Division.
“An investigation has been opened under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences against Children Act 2017 (Act 792) for committing a physical sexual act against a child,” he said.
He urged parents and guardians to secure their homes by locking doors and windows at night and to monitor their children, particularly in open residential areas, to prevent similar incidents.
