TAWAU, June 11 — Police detained four teenagers this evening, to assist in investigations into the murder of a man whose body was found in a drain near a shop in Jalan Bantu, Fajar here, yesterday.

Tawau District Police chief ACP Peter Ak Umbuas said the four Filipino illegal immigrants, aged 6 to17 years, were arrested between 1.45pm and 4.40pm at three different locations, namely in Jalan Dunlop, Taman Semarah Megah and in Sabindo.

"Based on preliminary investigations, all the suspects were unhappy with the victim, for accusing them of being thieves and snatchers,” he said in a statement here today.

Following the arrests, Peter said the case has been solved.

In the meantime, Peter said the 49-year-old victim, who was also a food vendor, was found dead by the public who contacted the police at 5pm yesterday.

"Initial checks found the suspect had two stab wounds, one on the left side of the neck and another on the right chest.

"Police also found a screwdriver and an eight-inch vegetable knife, believed to have been used to kill the victim,” he said, adding that the victim’s body had been identified by his 39-year-old wife.

According to the victim’s wife, the man left the house at 12.45am in a car after closing his food stall on the night of June 9, wanting to go for a drive.

"The victim who did not have a mobile phone did not return home until his body was found yesterday,” he said. — Bernama