KOTA KINABALU: A suspect wanted after he was suspected of killing a man in a bush area at Jalan Kionsom Lama, Inanam, here, last night, was arrested today.

The 43-year-old suspect who is believed to have strangled the victim with a wire was arrested at his rented house in Kampung Bambangan, Inanam, here, at 11.20 this morning.

Kota Kinabalu District Police Chief, Assistant Commissioner Mohd Zaidi Abdullah, said the suspect who worked as a vehicle painter was arrested along with the victim's smartphone.

He said, when arrested, the suspect also admitted to being involved in the death of the 25-year-old victim.

"Based on the confession and the items seized, the police believe the murder case of a man in a bush area in Jalan Kionsom, Inanam, last night, is completely over.

"However, further investigations will continue before the prosecution against the suspect is carried out," he said when contacted today.

In last night's incident, the victim's body was found by his wife and family members who went out to look for him at about 8 pm.

Mohd Zaidi Abdullah said, following the report received, a police team from the Kota Kinabalu District Police Headquarters (IPD) rushed to the location for further investigation.

He said the initial investigation found that the victim was sent by his father to the scene to meet with a workshop owner at about 1pm.

"After that, the victim is said to have sent his location through WhatsApp to his father, but a search for the victim after that failed to find him," he said.

Mohd Zaidi said the results of the initial examination by the Likas Hospital Emergency Unit confirmed that the victim was believed to have died within more than six hours before being found as a result of being strangled in the neck.

He said the victim's body had been sent to the Queen Elizabeth I Hospital Forensic Unit (HQE) for an autopsy after obtaining the results of the COVID-19 screening test.