Navy cadet death was homicide: High Court

Navy cadet officer J Soosaimanicckam died of homicide at the KD Sultan Idris Lumut naval base six years ago, the Ipoh High Court ruled today.

As such, the court allowed the deceased family’s review application against the Coroner Court’s open verdict into his death on May 19, 2018.

Judge Abdul Wahab Mohamed ruled that the 27-year-old’s death was a direct consequence of the navy officers in charge of his training.

The judge said that the navy officers denied the deceased’s request to seek medical treatment for leptospirosis (a disease caused by bacteria that affects people and animals).

The family’s lawyer Zaid Malek confirmed the High Court ruling.

On June 16 last year, the Coroner’s Court declared an open verdict in the inquest into Soosaimanicckam’s cause of death.

Coroner Ainul Shahrin Mohamad ruled that he died of pulmonary oedema (fluid in the lungs) in the course of his training.

Ainul said the deceased reportedly defecated while taking a shower before he passed out and was then rushed to Lumut Military Hospital, where he was subsequently pronounced dead.

The decision was made in the presence of the deceased’s family including his father S Joseph, 70, his brother Charles, 37, his cousin Vincent Lourders, 56, and the family’s lawyers Zaid and Mahajoth Singh.

Chest pains, breathing difficulty after training

On May 19, 2018, the 27-year-old’s death was confirmed at Lumut Military Hospital.

The following day in a media statement, the navy said the graduate cadet officer suffered chest pain and shortness of breath at his hostel after undergoing his daily training and was sent to the hospital for treatment.

The doctor on duty was said to have given respiratory support and treatment to the victim. However, he was pronounced dead at 1.45pm.

Soosaimanicckam reported to the naval base to undergo officer qualification training on May 12, 2018.

Then Manjung District police chief Muhammad Hanif Othman said the forensic medical report ruled out foul play, and that Soosaimanicckam died of fluid in the lungs. The case was classified as sudden death.

The deceased’s family has an ongoing civil suit against the navy at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court.

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