SIBU: Police believe they have solved the murder case of a 30-year-old businessman last month and six other similar cases following a bust early today.
During the 1.30am incident, two suspected hired killers were gunned down in an exchange of fire with the police.
A team from the Sarawak Criminal Investigation Department (CID) was deployed after police received a tip-off that a pickup truck, used by the murderer of the businessman, was spotted in town.
Sarawak CID Senior Assistant Commissioner Dev Kumar said the team later stumbled upon the pickup truck, with two men inside, at a junction near a roundabout in Kanowit near here.
One of the two men was a 46-year-old, who had four previous criminal offences. The truck sped off upon being alerted of the police's presence.
A chase then ensued. The truck landed on the roadside after it tried to crash into the police patrol car in Jalan Sibu-Selangau.
"Our men heard gunshots coming from the pickup truck when the team approached the vehicle.
"The situation forced the policemen to return fire in self-defence," said Dev, adding that both men seated in front, died on the spot.
Police also found a pump gun, believed to be used by the suspect during the shoot-out.
Preliminary checks linked the duo to six murder cases in the state and Sabah from 2012 and 2016.
Initial investigation showed that the duo were also behind an attempted murder case in Sibu two years ago.
It was reported that the businessman, identified as Teng Mung Min and his girlfriend from
China together with four others were about to leave the restaurant when the gunmen arrived in front of the premise in a white Toyota Hilux about 11pm on Jan 9.
The gunmen opened fire, which hit Teng and the Chinese national identified as Xiao Fen. A shootout occurred when one of Teng's friends, who is a bodyguard, returned fire.
Teng died while he was being rushed to a private hospital here while Xiao was critically injured.