'Who was with my brother as he lay dying?' – Noorizwan's family demands answers at Bukit Aman

Grief and anger hung in the air outside Bukit Aman police headquarters in Kuala Lumpur today as about 60 people gathered to demand justice over Noorizwan Zulkefly’s death in police custody.

More than two weeks after the incident, little has been known regarding the circumstances that led to Noorizwan’s demise. The loss cut deeper for his family as he would have turned 42 today.

Addressing the crowd, Noorizwan’s brother, Nooranis, delivered an impassioned speech questioning how his brother could have died in such a gruesome manner while under the care of the police.

“Today, we have gathered to find out why my brother was beaten and tortured. He was beaten while handcuffed.

“Can you imagine that? He was beaten while handcuffed until he died. Who was there with my brother? When he was dying, who was there with him?” Nooranis (below, right) asked.

Chants of “Tangkap pembunuh!” (Arrest the killer!) and “Tuntut keadilan!” (Demand justice!) rang out as attendees called for those responsible for Noorizwan’s death to be held accountable.

Holding placards condemning the authorities’ response, participants displayed messages including “Apa tindakan polis?” (What are the police doing?) and “Kami tidak akan diam” (We won’t remain silent).

The gathering today drew attendees from various quarters, including Noorizwan’s family members, civil society organisations and members of the public, who called for accountability amid the authorities’ prolonged silence over the case.

Also present were representatives from Lawyers for Liberty, Mandiri, HayatMY, Bersama, as well as businessperson Albert Tei.

Memorandum submission

The group submitted a memorandum addressed to the inspector-general of police, which was received by his officer (below) from the Corporate Communications Unit.

Endorsed by 75 groups and individuals, the memorandum reiterated calls for Noorizwan’s death to be investigated as murder under Section 302 of the Penal Code.

It also urged the police to identify, suspend and arrest officers allegedly responsible for, or present during, Noorizwan’s detention and alleged assault at the Cheras district police headquarters.

Among other demands are the preservation of all relevant evidence, including CCTV footage and detention records; regular and transparent updates for the family and its lawyers; and a public explanation for why the family was not informed of Noorizwan’s arrest and detention.

The family’s lawyer Wan Nabila Dina Wan Zamri said the family did not expect the police to admit wrongdoing outright but wanted a transparent and sincere investigation.

“We do not expect the police to come forward and say, ‘Yes, we are guilty’. We understand that this is an internal matter for the police.

“But what we need from the police is transparency and sincerity in conducting the investigation,” she said.

Severe injuries

Noorizwan died on Oct 1 after allegedly suffering blunt force trauma to the head, following about 10 days in custody at the Cheras district police headquarters.

His family was not informed of his detention or hospitalisation and only learnt of his death after receiving a text message from a purported police officer, about 18 hours after he died.

A post-mortem examination by a senior pathologist at the Canselor Tuanku Muhriz Hospital documented 21 injuries on Noorizwan’s body, including severe swelling of the skull, bleeding in the brain and intestines, and extensive swelling across his body.

READ MORE: 21 injuries, swelling of skull area, bleeding in brain and intestines: 'Silence not an option'

The severity of the injuries, coupled with the authorities’ prolonged silence, has prompted widespread calls for a transparent investigation and accountability from various quarters.

The authorities only addressed the case 14 days after the news broke, when Kuala Lumpur police chief Fadil Marsus told a press conference that the cause of Noorizwan’s death had yet to be determined.

He said investigators were awaiting the full report from the Chemistry Department and the official pathology results before concluding their investigation.

Fadil (above) added that Noorizwan was detained over three police reports involving drug-related and other offences, and had 44 criminal records, including 18 drug-related cases.

However, lawyers representing Noorizwan’s family criticised Fadil’s remarks, describing them as irresponsible for highlighting the deceased’s criminal record instead of addressing how he sustained serious injuries while in custody.

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