The Johor tahfiz school where Mohamad Thaqif Mohd Gadaffi studied has claimed there was no chance the boy had contracted leptospirosis while under its care.

Madrasah Tahfiz al-Jauhar principal Mohammad Afdhaluddin Ismail told a press conference today that Thaqif had shown no signs of illness while boarding at the dormitory.

"During the early weeks after he started his studies here, he had a slight fever and he was homesick.

“Our physician monitored his body temperature. The reading was normal and nothing out of the ordinary,"  Afdhaluddin was quoted as saying by the New Straits Times.

He added that the school's records showed the 11-year-old had been in the "best of health", including when he returned home.

Afdhaluddin said there had been no other cases of leptospirosis in the school.

Thaqif, 11, died on April 26 after both his legs and his right arm were amputated, following suspected abuse at Madrasah Tahfiz al-Jauhar in Kampung Lukut, Kota Tinggi.

The school has denied the allegation that he was beaten using a rubber hose.

Thaqif’s remains were subsequently exhumed on May 18 for a sample from his leg to be retrieved for further investigation.

The police had been investigating the case as a murder. 

However, the Health Ministry yesterday announced autopsy findings which showed that the boy had died of leptospirosis, a disease caused by exposure to rat urine.

Thaqif's mother has rejected this explanation. 

Afdhaluddin said the school would cooperate with the police and state health department should its premises need to be inspected.

As a result of the autopsy findings, police said earlier today that they may seek a lower charge against an assistant warden of the school, who was previously suspected of beating Thaqif to death.