KUALA LUMPUR – An inmate detained at the Indera Mahkota centralised lock-up in Kuantan died in custody yesterday afternoon while awaiting his next court date for drug-related offences.
Bukit Aman Integrity and Standard Compliance Department director Datuk Seri Azri Ahmad said the 42-year-old man was found unresponsive at 5.47pm and was later pronounced dead by paramedics at 6.35pm.
He added that the last time the inmate was seen alive was at 4.40pm the same day when he was given medication to treat his tuberculosis.
“The detainee was found unconscious when officers on duty were distributing food for inmates to break their fast.”
Azri said the man was brought to the centralised lockup on March 21 to begin serving his eight-month prison sentence for a narcotic conviction, and had a court date set for Thursday on a separate drug trafficking offence.
He added that the detainee was already an inmate at the Penor prison in Kuantan from other convictions.
The case is being investigated by the Criminal Investigations and Custodial Deaths Unit under his department.
This appears to be the 14th custodial death reported by Bukit Aman this year. – The Vibes, April 10, 2022