A grandmother was stabbed to death, believed by her drug-addicted grandson, after she refused to give him money to buy drug for his next drug fix.

Mallina Udin, 75, was found dead with 12 stab wounds and was covered with a prayer mat with a Yasin booklet placed on her chest, in an unnumbered house in Kampung Lok Urai in Pulau Gaya here last night.

Kota Kinabalu City Police chief ACP M.Chandra said when the police arrived at the scene following a public tip-off at 7.10 pm, the suspect was seen being aggressive and holding a machete and a saw near the victim.

The police took about one hour and 45 minutes to persuade the suspect to surrender himself, but the suspect continued being aggressive to the police, which prompted the police to fire several shots at him in defence, he told a press conference here today.

The 27-year-old suspect died at the scene.

Chandra said the victim and the suspect had lived in the house with five others, who were believed to have fled right after the incident.

The case is being investigated under Section 302 of the Penal Code.