The police investigation into the case of a 14-year-old youth who was allegedly abused in custody has been hampered by the father's refusal to bring the boy in for questioning.

"Investigations are still ongoing. We do not protect any police officers if they have committed an offence," said Shah Alam district police chief Abdul Wahab Embong when contacted.

"But the father's refusal to bring the boy here (Shah Alam district headquarters) is making it difficult for a complete investigation," he added.

The youth, arrested on suspicion of petty theft, was allegedly assaulted by a team of police officers on Aug 8. His father later claimed that the boy suffered a fracture to his leg, among other injuries, as a result of this.

As for the boy not being brought to have his statement recorded, his lawyer P Uthayakumar said previously that he was too afraid to return to the police headquarters, where the alleged abuse took place.

The lawyers also claimed that investigations would not be objective if the officers investigating the claims were colleagues of the alleged perpetrators.

In view of this, the father has requested that Inspector-General of Police Mohd Bakri Omar to transfer the case to the Bukit Aman federal police headquarters.

During his overnight detention, the boy claimed that he was told to do 150 push-ups and when he complained of pain in his chest, a policeman allegedly kicked his leg and fractured it.

The boy also claimed that he was beaten with a rubber hose, smacked with a slipper, punched with a boxing glove, had his toes stepped on and his shorts pulled down.

'Utter rubbish'

Meanwhile, Abdul Wahab did not rule out the possibility of recording a statement from the boy at another location.

"We can do the recording anywhere, but only on condition that the lawyer not be present during the recording. The recording of statements is a confidential matter," he said.

However, lawyer Uthayakumar (photo) described this as 'rubbish'.

"Utter rubbish. If you have nothing to hide, then why should you be scared? What we are concerned with is the possibility that the police, in the absence of a lawyer, coerce the boy into making statements that he does not mean," he said when contacted.

He also said that Abdul Wahab was making conditions that contravened the Federal Constitution, which provided for the right to counsel.

"In other countries, in most criminal matters, a lawyer is present as in the United Kingdom. If the suspect does not want a lawyer, then he has to sign a written statement to that effect,"

"The OCPD (district police chief) cannot override our own Federal Constitution, Article 5 (3) of which expressly provides suspects with the right to counsel. In this particular case, it seems to be the reverse.

"The fact that he is so young makes it all the more pertinent that there be somebody to protect him," he added.

Waiting for full report

In an apparent twist to the story, the father of the boy is seeking a second medical opinion after a previous doctor stated that there was no fracture to the right leg as alleged earlier.

Following an X-Ray, the doctor from Klang Hospital told the father that there were no indications of a fracture although there were injuries on the limb.

"I was not satisfied. So I went to a clinic along Jalan Pudu yesterday and this second doctor has said there is a slight crack.

"However, we are waiting for the full medical report to be submitted to our lawyers," said the father when contacted.

On the other hand, Uthayakumar said he is waiting for the medical report to complete the paperwork on a civil suit against the police, IGP, Selangor police chief and the government.