The Penang police have completed the investigation papers on the inquest to determine the death of rice seller Lim Chin Aik, who was believed buried under the falling lightning arrestor pole in a

freak storm at Jalan Macalister in George Town.

State police chief Abdul Rahim Hanafi said the papers had been sent to the Public Prosecutors’ Office last June 20, but returned to the police for verification of some facts.

“The police will hand back the papers to the Public Prosecutor’s Office soon for further action,” he told a media conference in George Town today.

The police requested an inquest into Lim’s death to enable the National Registration Department to issue the death certificate to his family and facilitate insurance claims by family members.

Abdul Rahim refuted an allegation by state exco member Chow Kon Yeow that the police ignored recordings of closed-circuit television cameras (CCTVs), hence the reason they failed to detect the mishap.

“At the Penang police contingent headquarters, there are 60 CCTVs to monitor traffic and crime, 36 CCTVs are under the control of the Penang Municipal Council (MPPP) and the remaining by the Housing and Local Government Ministry.

“The police cannot reveal the CCTV recordings on the collapse of the lightning arrestor pole and we have to get permission from MPPP.

“Therefore, don’t accuse the police of being irresponsible for failing to detect the incident,” he added.

In the incident on June 13, Lim, 44, was feared to have been buried after a search and rescue team found his grey Honda City car in a crater caused by the collapse of the lightning arrestor pole.

Police confirmed the car chassis number matched with the car belonging to Lim, who was reported missing since the day of the incident after going out to fetch his daughter from school.

- Bernama