Son dies in custody, dad 'threatened with gun'

 

A 25-year-old unemployed youth has died in police custody, and his father suspects foul play due to the bruises and 'hole-like puncture marks' on the body.

The 67-year-old farmer also claimed that when police questioned him in relation to his son's arrest, they had used a gun and a pair of handcuffs to threaten him.

Earlier, Syed Mohamad Nur Ali said a group of policemen had kicked down the door of his house in Pengerang, Johor, in search of a firearm.

He related the ordeal during a press conference with the family’s lawyer, Gobind Singh Deo at the latter's law firm in Kuala Lumpur.

The DAP lawmaker also showed photographs of the deceased Syed Mohd Azlan’s remains to the media.

"I don't mind (his) death, but it's how my son died that grieves me," said Syed Mohamad Nur, who was unable to control his tears.

"My son was not sick, it would have been fine if he passed quickly, (but) the morning (before the arrest) he was having breakfast with me and his brothers," he added, flanked by his wife.

Syed Mohamad Nur said his son, the youngest of five, had left their home at 9pm on Nov 3, saying that he wanted to buy some clothes.

Then at around 5am on Nov 4, policemen arrived at their home, and kicked open the door when Syed Mohamad Nur did not open it.

He claimed that no warrant was shown, and some 10 to 20 policemen searched his house looking for a firearm.

Syed Mohamad Nur has a registered shotgun, which he uses to protect his farm. Police, however, did not seize the shotgun, or any other items before leaving the premise.

'They tried to frighten me'

The father was later called to give a statement at the Sungai Rengit police station at 6am.

However, he was not allowed to meet his son, whom he believed was placed in an adjacent meeting room.

"They slapped (tepuk) me on the chest and on the back, then they slammed a pistol in front of me, slammed handcuffs, to frighten me into confessing.

"But all I had was a registered firearm. So I didn't confess, there was nothing to confess to," he said, adding that he was released around 6.45am.

What transpired next is unclear, but Syed Mohd Azlan was brought to the Kota Tinggi Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 7.30am.

The cause of death, according to the death certificate, was blunt force trauma.

Syed Mohamad Nur, however, was not informed of his son's passing until about 1pm.

His son's remains were then transferred to the Sultan Ismail Hospital in Johor Bahru for post-mortem, and was buried the following night.

Meanwhile, Gobind demanded that Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar provide an explanation regarding the case.

Failing which, the Puchong MP said he would ask Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail to set-up an inquest.

"Besides that, the family will also consider filing a civil suit against those responsible for the death.

"The law is clear, if someone is hit, that is a criminal offence. The same law applies to the police," he added.

Also at the press conference was DAP’s Kulai MP Teo Nie Ching, who said the holes appeared to be the size of a 10 sen coin.