Family presses IGP, home minister over custodial death

The family of a man who died in police custody has demanded that the inspector-general of police and home minister immediately explain his death, provide updates on investigations and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.

Lawyers for Liberty director Rania Aljunied and lawyer Wan Nabilah Dina Wan Zamri said the family of Noorizwan Zulkefly, 42, wanted to know why no police officers had been arrested, suspended or charged over his death.

“It is outrageous that, to date, there has been no explanation or transparency from the inspector-general of police, home minister or the government since this horrific death occurred 13 days ago,” they said in a joint statement today.

Noorizwan died on Oct 1 after 11 days in custody at the Cheras police headquarters.

The lawyers claimed the family had received no updates on the investigation and that requests for information had been rejected by the investigating officer from Bukit Aman.

They also asked why the attorney-general had yet to order the case classified as murder under Section 302 of the Penal Code.

Their demands follow a briefing on Oct 12 by a forensic pathologist at Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, who informed Noorizwan’s family and lawyers that he died from blunt force trauma to the head.

The lawyers said that during the briefing, the family was also shown photographs of extensive injuries across his body.

According to the lawyers, the post-mortem revealed severe swelling of the skull, widespread bleeding in the brain, injuries around the eyes and ears, and internal bleeding in the intestines.

There was also severe swelling and lacerations affecting his shoulders, arms, back, knees, legs and feet.

They said the swelling revealed bleeding beneath the skin during the post-mortem examination, which they claimed indicated that Noorizwan had been severely beaten.

The lawyers described his injuries as the most severe in a police custody death since A Kugan’s death in 2009.

Last week, lawyer N Surendran who is also representing the family urged the police to investigate the case as a murder, saying it remained unclear why Noorizwan was arrested and what offence he was alleged to have committed.

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