KUALA LUMPUR – A 54-year-old man who allegedly committed suicide in the Cheras police lock-up two days ago was alone there at the time of his death as his cellmates had been taken to the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex in Jalan Duta to be charged, police said today.
Cheras police chief Mohamed Mokhsein Mohamamed Zon said police have launched an internal probe, and the incident is being investigated as a case of sudden death.
“An internal investigation by the Integrity and Standards Compliance Department (JIPS) is also being undertaken on the lock-up officers,” he said in a statement today.
The death sparked the outrage of a civil society group Eliminating Death and Abuse in Custody Together (Edict), which called for an investigation to be launched.
Edict said that the suicide claim is nonsensical as the lock-up is constantly being watched by closed-circuit television cameras and monitored by police officers.
“Edict is concerned with the increasing frequency of deaths in detention,” it said.
Mokhsein, meanwhile, stressed that a lock-up official found the body, which he said was hung on an iron bar of the cell using lock-up uniform, about 12.30pm on Monday.
He said the official discovered the victim in the position while bringing out inmates from the neighbouring cell for investigation processes.
The deceased had been arrested on March 4 over drug-related offences, and a urine test upon his arrest found him positive for methamphetamine, he added.
Mokhsein said a remand order for the suspect, who worked as a taxi driver, was granted from March 4 until today.
He added the suspect had four prior criminal records for drugs and possession of a firearm. – The Vibes, March 10, 2021
