The Star
by NURBAITI HAMDAN
“He was taken to hospital and died on the way. The doctor who performed the post-mortem had concluded that his death was drug-related,” she said.
The second version, Siti Shakirah added, was that the deceased had been kicked and beaten by a police officer who arrested him that caused his death.
“Both versions can be accepted in my opinion. However, two post-mortem reports gave the same conclusion, that the deceased had died of a drug-related cause.
“A post-mortem report is an undisputed prima facie evidence,” she said.
The coroner said the court could not conclude which of the two possibilities had caused the death of Gunasegaran, 31.
A total of 23 witnesses took the stand during the inquest which began on Nov 11 last year.
It was conducted to determine the cause of Gunasegaran’s death while in police custody.
He was pronounced dead at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital.
The court was assisted by DPP Nor Aishah KM Abu Bakar and lawyer M. Visvanathan, who represented the deceased’s family.
Gunasegaran’s sister Ganga Gowri, who was present with her husband, cried outside the courtroom.
She later told the press that she was disappointed with the verdict.
“I have five siblings. All but one have died, including Gunasegaran. I only have a younger sister left,” said the housewife.
In another development, one of the three key witnesses in the Gunasegaran’s case was arrested at his house in Desa Rejang Setapak.
K. Selvach Santhiran, 39, was nabbed by police last night on suspicion of drug abuse.
He had previously testified against the police at Gunasegaran’s inquest.
Selvach was one of the deceased’s cellmates but was freed after a urine test for drugs proved negative.
The two other witnesses, however, have been in police detention since last year.
by NURBAITI HAMDAN
KUALA LUMPUR: The Coroner’s Court delivered an open verdict in the inquest of toddy shop assistant R. Gunasegaran who died in police custody last year.
Coroner Siti Shakirah Mohtarudin found there was insufficient evidence to record a conclusion.
In a six-page judgment, Siti Shakirah said there were two versions of how Gunasegaran had died based on the testimonies of witnesses.
Gunasegaran died on July 16, 2009, between 6.45pm and 7.20pm while his thumbprints were being taken by police for processing.
“The first version is the deceased fainted when police were processing his thumbprints.
Coroner Siti Shakirah Mohtarudin found there was insufficient evidence to record a conclusion.
In a six-page judgment, Siti Shakirah said there were two versions of how Gunasegaran had died based on the testimonies of witnesses.
Gunasegaran died on July 16, 2009, between 6.45pm and 7.20pm while his thumbprints were being taken by police for processing.
“The first version is the deceased fainted when police were processing his thumbprints.
“He was taken to hospital and died on the way. The doctor who performed the post-mortem had concluded that his death was drug-related,” she said.
The second version, Siti Shakirah added, was that the deceased had been kicked and beaten by a police officer who arrested him that caused his death.
“Both versions can be accepted in my opinion. However, two post-mortem reports gave the same conclusion, that the deceased had died of a drug-related cause.
“A post-mortem report is an undisputed prima facie evidence,” she said.
The coroner said the court could not conclude which of the two possibilities had caused the death of Gunasegaran, 31.
A total of 23 witnesses took the stand during the inquest which began on Nov 11 last year.
It was conducted to determine the cause of Gunasegaran’s death while in police custody.
He was pronounced dead at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital.
The court was assisted by DPP Nor Aishah KM Abu Bakar and lawyer M. Visvanathan, who represented the deceased’s family.
Gunasegaran’s sister Ganga Gowri, who was present with her husband, cried outside the courtroom.
She later told the press that she was disappointed with the verdict.
“I have five siblings. All but one have died, including Gunasegaran. I only have a younger sister left,” said the housewife.
In another development, one of the three key witnesses in the Gunasegaran’s case was arrested at his house in Desa Rejang Setapak.
K. Selvach Santhiran, 39, was nabbed by police last night on suspicion of drug abuse.
He had previously testified against the police at Gunasegaran’s inquest.
Selvach was one of the deceased’s cellmates but was freed after a urine test for drugs proved negative.
The two other witnesses, however, have been in police detention since last year.
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