Family demands answers after man dies in custody

PETALING JAYA: The family of a 28-year-old man detained in remand prison are demanding answers after he died of unknown causes two weeks after he was sent back to prison from hospital.

Rafeya Abdullah, 30, said the family still did not know what treatment her brother Faizal had received in prison, why he was sent back to prison on June 4, or where he had died on June 20.

“We just want to know what really happened. Did he die in prison, on the way to hospital, or at the hospital?” Rafeya told FMT. She showed the death certificate which stated Faizal died of “unascertained” causes.

She said she has lodged a police report asking for a full investigation, and for all medical records, prison records, incident reports, CCTV footage and related documents to be preserved.

Earlier this month, FMT reported that Faizal had become seriously ill while waiting for the chemist’s report in a drug case. He had been charged on Feb 6 with three drug-related offences involving cannabis and methamphetamine.

On April 11, he was admitted to Tuanku Ja’afar Hospital after his health worsened while he remained in custody.

Rafeya said the family was told at one point that he had an injury involving his vertebrae and might need urgent surgery, but was later told surgery was not needed.

She said Faizal was returned to Seremban prison even though he was still weak and needed help to move.

When the family went to visit him at prison on June 18, they were only shown a video of him by a prison staff because Faizal was said to be too weak to come out.

After the family insisted on seeing him, he was brought out in a wheelchair. “He was very weak, crying and complaining of back pain. He kept asking us to take him out of prison to be treated,” she said.

Rafeya also claimed Faizal complained that his urine tube had not been removed since he left hospital and was causing him pain. She said the family asked about the doctor in charge at the prison clinic but was told the doctors were on leave.

Two days later, she received a call from the prison saying Faizal died after his oxygen level dropped. She said the family was first told he died at Tuanku Ja’afar Hospital, but later heard that he had died on the way there.

A post-mortem was carried out the next day but Rafeya said the family was told the cause of death could not yet be determined and that samples had been sent for further tests.

In an earlier response to FMT, the prisons department said it could not comment on or confirm details of a prisoner’s health or condition as such information was private. Information on a prisoner could only be released after a request by the family with approval from the commissioner-general of prisons.

The department said it took the welfare, safety and health of all prisoners seriously, including remand prisoners, and that inmates with health problems would be examined, treated and monitored according to their needs and existing procedures.

FMT has sought comment from the health ministry, Tuanku Ja’afar Hospital, the prisons department and police.