THE police are prepared to reopen the investigation into the death of Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) cadet officer J. Soosaimanicckam six years ago under Section 302 of the Penal Code as homicide.
According to New Straits Times, Perak police chief Datuk Azizi Mat Aris said they, however, must wait for directives from the Deputy Public Prosecutor before any follow-up action can be taken to reopen the investigation.
Speaking to reporters during a press conference at the Perak contingent police headquarters on Friday (Aug 9), Azizi said the police were aware of the memorandum submitted by Soosaimanicckam’s family together with 29 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) requesting that the police reopen the case.
“We will conduct the investigation, but we must wait for instructions from the DPP first. The case has already been referred to the High Court, and we are aware that the memorandum has been submitted,” he reportedly said.
“We will review our investigation paper once we receive instructions from the DPP. If we receive the DPP’s directive, we will reopen the investigation papers and reclassify the case under the appropriate section, which is Section 302 of the Penal Code.”
Azizi was asked to comment on a news report yesterday regarding the demand made through a memorandum submitted by 29 NGOs, led by Lawyers For Liberty (LFL), along with the deceased’s family members at Bukit Aman.
The demand was reported to have been handed over to officers at Bukit Aman after the Ipoh High Court classified the officer’s death during cadet training in Lumut on May 19, 2018, as a homicide in July.
The report noted that a police report was filed on behalf of the deceased’s family at the Petaling Jaya district police headquarters in Selangor regarding the court’s decision. However, as of yesterday (Aug 8), there had been no response from the police.
The family said so far, no one from the police had contacted the family to inform them if the police would be reopening the case as a murder investigation in accordance with the Ipoh High Court’s ruling.
On July 29, the Ipoh High Court set aside the open verdict issued in 2018 by the coroner’s court inquiring into Soosaimanicckam’s death and ruled it a homicide.
Judge Abdul Wahab Mohamed ruled that the 27-year-old’s death was a direct consequence of the navy officers in charge of cadet training denying him medical treatment.
Abdul Wahab said that the navy officers denied Soosaimanicckam’s request for medical treatment for leptospirosis, a disease caused by bacteria that affects people and animals.
Soosaimanicckam was pronounced dead at 1.45pm on May 19, 2018 at the Armed Forces Hospital in Lumut, Perak.
It was previously reported that Soosaimanicckam had complained of chest pains and shortness of breath at the hostel after completing routine physical training at the camp. – Aug 9, 2024
