The police are on a manhunt for a Nigerian man to assist in investigations into the death of a five-year-old boy at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL) last Thursday, after the victim was allegedly abused.

Brickfields district police chief ACP Ruslan Khalid said the 31-year-old man, identified as Ebiziem Afeanyi Stephen, is a boyfriend of the boy's mother.

He said the suspect had managed to escape the police when the 28-year-old woman was being picked up at Bayan Baru in Penang last Friday.

“We believe the man could help the police to complete the investigation,” he told a press conference in Kuala Lumpur today.

Ruslan said the unemployed woman has two other sons, aged five months and two years, who are now placed under the care of the hospital.

“No injuries or signs of abuse are found on the two boys,” he said.

Ruslan said the remand order on the woman was expected to be extended tomorrow to facilitate the investigation under Section 302 of the Penal Code.

Members of the public with information about the case are urged to contact the Brickfields police at 03-90516222 or the nearest police station.

It was reported that the victim's mother and her boyfriend had gone into hiding after taking the boy in an unconscious state, to a private hospital in Cheras on June 20.

The victim, who had suffered from a broken arm and brain haemorrhage, was then rushed to the HKL for treatment before he was pronounced dead.

Meanwhile, Ruslan said police had set up a special task force to close in on a gang of robbers who carted away RM2.5 million worth of jewellery at a gold shop in a supermarket in Jalan Kuchai Lama here last Thursday.

In the 11am incident, four armed men, in helmets and vests, stormed into the premises before they fled the scene with 10 trays of assorted jewellery.