High Court maintains coroner's findings in Tampin custodial death case

SEREMBAN: The High Court here has maintained the findings of a Coroner's Court which had twice ruled that the death of a jobless man while in police custody was due to injuries suffered after he was assaulted by fellow inmates and policemen.

Judicial Commissioner Muhammad Jamil Hussin said there was no reason for the court to revise the verdict of the lower court.

"The court hereby maintains the findings of the Coroner's Court delivered in April last year," he said in his brief judgment.

In June 2015, the Coroner's Court ruled that P. Karuna Nithi, 43, had sustained 49 external injuries due to assault by blunt objects.

It said the deceased's death in June 2013 was due to physical assault, abuse and unlawful acts of persons unknown, including police officers and other detainees in the lock-up in Tampin.

It also found that the victim's death was accelerated by failure or omission to provide him with the necessary medical care.

The prosecution then appealed against the decision but the Coroner's Court maintained its earlier findings.

Karuna Nithi was charged with causing hurt under Section 324 of the Penal Code and was offered a RM4,000 bail. He was taken to the lock-up because his family could not raise the amount.

A policeman who went to check on him at about 6pm the following day found him unconscious inside his cell. He was pronounced dead about four hours later.

A final post-mortem report prepared by specialists from the Tuanku Ja'afar Hospital revealed that the cause of death was fatty liver and hypoglycaemia and/or electrolyte imbalance.

(Hypoglycaemia is a medical emergency that involves an abnormally low content of glucose in the blood. Effects can range from vaguely "feeling bad" to seizures, unconsciousness, permanent brain damage or even death).

Police then recommended an inquest to establish the cause of death.