KOTA KINABALU, Oct 17 — Eight Prison Department wardens including one officer are under police investigation following the death of an inmate due to head injuries at the Kepayan central prison here.

City police chief assistant commissioner Habibi Majinji said a police team from the D9 serious crime unit detained the men last night after a 36-year-old inmate was found dead in his cell at the prison facility on October 4.

"Yes, they turned themselves in and have been arrested and are under police remand.

"Initially, the case was being investigated as sudden death, but when the post-mortem results came out suggesting foul play, we reclassified the case as murder,” he said.

The inmate, who had been in jail for two years following a conviction for drug offences, was believed to have sustained blunt force injuries to his head.

He was rushed to Queen Elizabeth Hospital but was pronounced dead.

A police report was then filed by the inmate’s family. He has been buried in his hometown of Ranau.

Habibi today confirmed the arrests of the wardens and said they were currently under a seven-day remand to facilitate investigations under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder.