KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 28 — DAP lawmaker RSN Rayer today called on the police to explain why the investigation into the death of Noorizwan Zulkefly was classified voluntarily hurt instead of murder.
Rayer cited news reports quoting Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department director Datuk M Kumar, who said the death-in-detention case is investigated under Section 331 of the Penal Code, which deals with voluntarily causing grievous hurt to extort a confession or force the restoration of property.
The member of parliament for Jelutong said he felt the police decision was hasty, as the postmortem report on Noorizwan’s death had yet to be ready, with the cause of death still undetermined.
“I don’t agree that it’s being investigated under 331. By right it should be 302 of the Penal Code (murder),” Rayer said at a press conference in the Parliament building here.
“If the complete postmortem report is not even ready, why is the police seemingly hasty to classify it under Section 331? I am quoting the CID chief. But my question is if the complete report isn’t even ready, the cause of death is yet to be determined, why is the police rushing to classify it as 331?” The MP added.
Noorizwan, 42, died on October 1, while under detention at the Cheras district police headquarters lock-up.
News reports, quoting family members and their lawyers, indicated Noorizwan suffered nearly two dozen severe injuries based on preliminary postmortem findings.
Bukit Aman had classified the case under Section 331 following statements recorded by a forensic medical consultant at Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz who conducted the postmortem, Kumar was quoted as saying.
The medical consultant confirmed signs of external injuries on several parts of the deceased’s body that are consistent with blunt-force trauma and was not self-inflicted, Kumar said.
The case has since drawn national attention and revived public scrutiny on the government’s pledge to reform detention procedures and end custodial deaths.
Addressing Parliament yesterday, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail pledged transparency in investigation and to punish the officers involved.
But Rayer said the authorities have not indicated if the officers who interrogated Noorizwan had been suspended.
“In any investigation papers, the officers involved will be named explicitly. So who are the officers who took Noorizwan out from the lock-up to be investigated, who are they?” The MP asked.
“Have they been identified? Have they been suspended with immediate effect? These are the questions they must answer. It’s not enough to issue the same statements that the case is being investigated.”
