KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 14 — On Monday, the police finally identified the decapitated body of a woman found in a drain near Alor Gajah, Melaka on December 31 last year.

The victim was named as 33-year-old primary school teacher and mother of three Istiqomah Ahmad Rozi.

The case is being investigated under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder, which carries the death penalty.

The same section also provides as an alternative jail between 30 and 40 years, and whipping of not less than 20 strokes if not sentenced to death.

Here is the chronology of events so far:

Dec 26, 2023 — Istiqomah failed to return home after leaving for work in Sekolah Kebangsaan Kota Masai 3 in Pasir Gudang, Johor.

Dec 27 — The family lodged a police report regarding the disappearance of Istiqomah at 12.36am. The car driven by Istiqomah was found in the car park of a supermarket, near Kota Masai, Johor Baru. Surveillance footage showed an unidentified man exiting from the vehicle.

Dec 31 — The decapitated body of a woman, believed murdered, was found stuffed in a garbage bin in a drain along the Alor Gajah—Tampin trunk road, near Kampung Rimau, Pulau Sebang, at about 2pm. The body was found about 100 metres from an empty house. The victim was not identified at that time.

Jan 6, 2024 — Alor Gajah district police chief Superintendent Arshad Abu said that both the victim’s hands and feet had been chopped off. However, the missing body parts were not found in the area.

Aug 2 — The DNA test of Istiqomah’s mother was taken by the Data Bank/DNA (D13) of the Criminal Investigation Department, Bukit Aman.

Aug 5 — The Special Investigation Division (D9) of the Melaka Criminal Investigation Department (CID), in collaboration with the Johor CID and the Criminal Investigation Division of the Alor Gajah district police headquarters, arrested a married couple in Perak suspected of involvement with the crime.

Aug 6 — The Magistrates’ Court in Alor Gajah allowed the remand order application for seven days against the couple. The interrogation of the two individuals led to the discovery of other parts of the victim’s body, namely the finger bones and the head, about six kilometres from the first place where the victim’s body was found.

Aug 12 — Ashari confirmed that the headless body belonged to Istiqomah. The Magistrates’ Court allowed the application to extend the remand order on the male suspect for another seven days.

News about the disappearance of Istiqomah emerged in June after her brother made an impassioned plea on social media for information on her whereabouts.

Who was the male suspect arrested?

According to Ashari, the prime suspect in the murder was her ex-classmate.

Preliminary investigations showed that the man is involved in foreign exchange trading, and is believed to have had dealings with Istiqomah.

The police also previously said that Istiqomah's three children were believed to be acquainted with the male suspect and his wife.

Istiqomah’s husband Mohd Yusof Mokhtar, 35, has rejected rumours that the suspect was her former boyfriend.

He also speculated that his wife’s murder could have been a robbery gone awry, pointing to marks on his wife’s hand.

What is going to happen to her children?

Istiqomah is survived by three children aged nine, six, and four. They are currently under the care of their grandparents.

Johor women, family and community development committee chairman Khairin-Nisa Ismail said the state government is offering counselling services to the family. She was quoted as saying:

Johor education and information committee chairman Aznan Tamin also said the state Education Department has been directed to pay close attention to the children’s progress at school and assist them when needed:

Yusof said his family has been traumatised after reading the fake news and speculations about the case and his late wife’s relationship with the male suspect.