JOHOR BARU: The husband of murdered teacher Istiqomah Ahmad Rozi, 33, is appealing to the public to give the police the space needed to conduct a thorough investigation into his wife's death.
Mohd Yusof Mokhtar, 35, has also requested that people refrain from speculating about the case.
"I urge everyone to avoid interfering with the ongoing police investigation," Yusof said.
"Please do not make speculations. I trust the police to carry out a thorough investigation in our pursuit of justice."
Yusof said that he is currently awaiting instructions from the police regarding the repatriation of his wife's body to their hometown in Kelantan.
"God willing, her body will be brought back to Kelantan soon," he added.
When asked about their three children, aged four, six, and nine, Yusof said that they have been able to accept the news of their mother's passing.
"Alhamdulillah, I showed them the news on television yesterday, and they now understand that their mother is no longer with us. While they may seem fine in front of me, they could be hiding their emotions at school," he said.
"When I learned that my second child was upset at school, he admitted he was indeed sad because he misses his mother."
Istiqomah was reported missing on Dec 26, 2023, with her car found the next day in a shopping mall parking lot near Kota Masai, close to their home.
On Dec 31, 2023, a decapitated body was discovered in a rubbish bin by the side of Jalan Alor-Gajah-Tampin, near Kampung Rimau, Pulau Sebang, Alor Gajah, Melaka. The identity of the body was initially unknown.
Yesterday, Alor Gajah police chief Superintendent Ashari Abu Samah confirmed that the decapitated body was indeed Istiqomah's, based on investigation results and DNA testing.
On Aug 5, police arrested a 36-year-old man and a 37-year-old woman in Chemor, Perak.
They were held in custody for six days until yesterday.
The remand of the male suspect has been extended for another seven days, until this Saturday, to assist with the investigation, while the female suspect was released on bail.