P Waythamoorthy says home minister, IGP must investigate why nothing done after coroner ruled death of Kluang prison inmate Sasiikumarwas due to homicide.
PETALING JAYA: P Waythamoorthy today lodged a police report demanding the home minister and the inspector-general of police (IGP) investigate the inaction of Attorney-General Mohamed Apandi Ali over the outcome on an inquest into the death of an inmate in Kluang Prison in 2015.
The Hindraf chairman was referring to the findings of the Johor Baru coroner Kamarudin Kamsun last November that prisoner Sasikumar Selvam did not hang himself in his cell on May 22, 2015, ruling instead that it was a case of homicide.
“Sasikumar’s grandmother Shushilarani authorised me to file this report on her behalf.
“This is because despite the facts and evidences presented during the inquest, she is suspicious as to why the AG is not acting and taking any steps to address the various offences committed by various parties including the Kluang Prison director, prison officers, police officers, pathologists, and many others who have either committed murder/homicide, running a drug racket in prison, concealed evidences and perverting the cause of justice in Malaysia,” Waythamoorthy said.
He added that Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and IGP Mohamed Fuzi Harun must investigate the inaction of the AG on these serious crimes committed by various parties.
“This is a serious issue of possibly a larger drug racket running not only at Kluang Prison but throughout the country and a serious breach of security at possibly the most secure place, that is, prison,” he said.
Sasikumar’s custodial death made the headlines after his grandmother lodged a police report three days after his death, saying that she had suspected foul play in the death of her grandson who was serving a 10-year sentence for theft of rice and sardine.
The prisons department and the police issued statements at the time that an investigation had been conducted and that there was no foul play.
In his ruling on Nov 14 last year, the JB coroner said that Sasikumar’s death was caused by person or persons unknown, and that the death was not a misadventure.
Kamarudin had also left it to the police to decide if it will conduct a thorough investigation to find those responsible.
“There was existing evidence for police to investigate persons, in particular inmates or prison officers, who were involved in a drug syndicate in the prison,” he said, citing evidence of how Sasikumar had told a prison officer that his life was under threat and feared for his life just two days before he was found hanged.
The coroner had also called the evidence of the pathologist who performed the autopsy on Sasikumar, “a good story but not a true story”, as it was not backed by evidence.
According to Waythamoorthy, under Section 338 (1) of the Criminal Procedure Code, the Coroner holding an inquiry shall record the evidence and his finding thereon and shall immediately transmit to the Public Prosecutor the original of such evidence and finding duly authenticated by his signature or a copy of such evidence and finding certified under his hand as correct.
“Despite almost three months since the finding of the Coroner, we are suspicious of the attitude of the AG in remaining silent on such a serious issue of murder/homicide in prison possibly committed by prison authorities in an attempt to cover up the obvious drug racket at the Kluang prison.
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