THE investigation into a gruesome discovery in Kota Kinabalu took a significant turn late this morning as police recovered a human head and torso from a secondary waste disposal site.
The discovery, made at 11.40 am near a supermarket in Taman Indah Permai, follows an intensive search operation triggered by the earlier finding of a severed arm and leg at a nearby car park refuse collection point.
The grim sequence of events began at approximately 6.30 am when a municipal waste collector was startled by a human arm, severed from the shoulder to the palm, which fell from a bin as it was being hoisted into a compaction vehicle.
Upon further inspection of the container, workers discovered a human leg, severed from the hip to the foot.
The remains had been wrapped in black plastic refuse bags before being discarded in the communal bins.
Acting on the initial find, police officers and sanitation staff conducted a systematic search of neighbouring disposal units and re-examined waste already loaded into collection lorries.
This coordinated effort led to the second discovery near the supermarket premises.
While the head, torso, and one set of limbs have been accounted for, authorities noted that as of midday, one arm and one leg remain missing.
Superintendent Syed Lot Syed Ab Rahman, the Acting Kota Kinabalu District Police Chief, previously confirmed the ongoing nature of the probe, stating that further updates will be provided as the investigation develops.
Police continue to treat the area as a crime scene while they seek to establish the identity of the deceased and the motives behind the killing. - February 12, 2026
