Suhakam finally enters Taiping Prison to probe alleged assault on inmates

Summary

• Suhakam confirms it has started investigating allegations of human rights abuses in Taiping Prison, which resulted in one inmate’s death and several others injured.

• Its commissioner Farah Nini Dusuki says the scope of investigations has also been widened and not confined to the prison alone.

• The deceased inmate’s stepsister claims the former had suffered from broken ribs weeks earlier before his passing.

After being blocked earlier, Suhakam finally managed to enter the Taiping Prison to investigate allegations of human rights abuses, which resulted in one inmate’s death and several others injured.

Suhakam commissioner Farah Nini Dusuki confirmed the matter, adding that the scope of investigations has been widened and not confined to the prison alone.

“We entered the Taiping Prison from Feb 25 to 27 for investigations.

“And the scope of investigation now is no longer confined to the said prison but also the hospital and the district police headquarters.

“That’s all we can say for now as the case is still being probed,” she told Malaysiakini when met today.

Memorandum

Earlier, Farah (above, left) received a memorandum from the family of the late M Vijian - the inmate from Taiping Prison who died after allegedly being assaulted by a warden during a riot on the premises on Jan 27.

She received the memorandum at Suhakam headquarters.

On Feb 13, Suhakam condemned what it claims to be the Prison Department’s obstruction of its statutory duty to investigate human rights abuses.

It said its officers were prevented from visiting Taiping Prison and a Batu Gajah Correctional Centre inmate as part of its investigation of alleged human rights violations at the prison on Jan 17.

Suhakam stated that it was initially granted approval by the Prison Department headquarters, but upon arrival at the Batu Gajah Correctional Centre, its officers were denied access to record an inmate’s testimony.

Suhakam claimed the department told it to postpone its inquiry pending an ongoing police investigation.

Vijian’s demise

Vijian’s step sister Sisiliya Joseph called for justice to be served over her brother’s demise.

She alleged that they only found out about Vijian’s injuries after he was brought to the Taiping Hospital on suspicion of suffering from tuberculosis.

“On Feb 13, we were told that Vijian’s health had deteriorated. On Feb 15, we were informed of his death at 9.10am,” she said.

Dissatisfied with the matter, the family sent Vijian’s remains to the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital in Ipoh for an autopsy to be conducted.

She alleged that the autopsy had indicated that Vijian had suffered from broken ribs between three and four weeks ago, believed to be due to assault.

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