Family files appeal to obtain CCTV footage of fatal Taiping prison riot

The family of an inmate who died following a riot at Taiping Prison last year has filed an appeal in a bid to obtain CCTV recordings of the incident.

Inmate Gan Chin Eng died after the riot, which took place on Jan 17 last year, allegedly saw some 100 inmates assaulted by 60 prison officers.

Gan was serving his sentence for drug trafficking at the time.

Earlier this year, a Suhakam inquiry into the riot recommended stronger oversight of prisons and called for the closure of Taiping Prison, citing its deteriorating condition.

Lawyer Shashi Devan, representing the deceased’s son, Gan Thean Soo, said the family has filed an appeal against the decision, handed down Aug 6, which denied them with access to the recordings.

The case is pending before the Court of Appeal.

Shashi said the recordings were needed for an intended lawsuit by the family against the authorities, alleging negligence and breaches of statutory duty.

The government and Taiping prison contended that the (original) recordings were in the custody of the police as part of ongoing investigations into the riot.

They also expressed concern that the family might make the contents of the recordings public.

In his ruling, Judicial Commissioner Syed Faisal Syed Amir said the court accepted the defendants argument that the CCTV recordings were no longer in their possession.

The court also ruled that any disclosure to the public would prejudice on-going court cases against some prison officers.

It added the CCTV recordings were classified as official secrets under the Official Secrets Act.

Prison officer Ryndee O’Nel Victor pleaded not guilty to a charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder over Gan’s death last year.

Meanwhile five officers — Mohd Hairie Jumri, Saiful Azman Ibrahim, Ahmad Rizal Razali, Muhamad Mustakhim Abdul Rahim, and Nor Hafiz Izwan Jajam — were accused of assaulting three inmates on Jan 17, 2025.

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